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Perfect cast and a good story

Good movie but grossly overrated

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

The original movie's title is "Torn/Blown/Smashed April", and I have no idea, why it was translated into English (and into Russian, by the way, too) the way it was.Few know that the movie is based on a novel of an Albanian author Ismail Kadare with the same title. I don't know how typical vendetta problem is for Brasil, so, I would rather watch something Albanian on that issue (Albania is world's vendetta capital). But I would say the movie is not rather about the problem (the script is quite sketchy), but a poem about sertão - a magnificent desert-type land west of Pernambuco coastline, which has been attracting many Brazilian movie-makers. That was the destination for Salles previous film's characters' trip ("Central do Brasil"), and that was the ambiance for Brazil's cult classics "Vidas secas". Directing, shooting and cutting are out of this world. The nerve-scratching score is written by the incredible trio of Ed Cortes, Antonio Pinto and Beto Villares. The first two in a couple of years would knock the world out with their unforgettable music for "Ciudad de Deus", while Villares would do the same for "O ano em que meus pais sairam de ferias". The film catapulted Rodrigo Santoro onto the star orbit, although I liked even more the acting of Ravi Ramos Lacerda, another Salles' prodigy after Vinicius de Oliveira in "Central do Brasil".

Hollywood rarely has the courage to produce films such as this small masterpiece. From the plot to the acting to the cinematography, this is one of the finest films I've seen in 60 years of appreciating cinema. This is a slow paced film, but don't let that put you off. In fact, don't even think "slow paced." Instead, expect a harmonic blend capturing the life, times, and spirit of the hardworking people who populate the story. Attempting to scratch out an existence milling sugar cane, these farmers in Brazil's rural outback (the film is set in 1910) are caught up in a land-squabble-based blood feud that's apparently gone on for decades. Not only is everything about the film superb, but the surprising yet completely logical twist that climaxes the story provides a remarkable take on "family honor" - a take that lets us know that seeing value in the lives of others can sometimes come from unexpected places. Makes for hours of fascinating discussion; the kind of film that makes one THINK.By all means, see it!

To be honest, I only rented the film so that I could swoon over handsome Rodrigo Santoro after watching his brief, but memorable role in the romantic comedy "Love Actually". Little did I know how good this film was. I didn't mind the subtitles because they were clear and non-complex. I loved hearing the language. I don't know; there's something mysteriously alluring about Portuguese; it has this smooth, almost rhythmic flavor about it. I was thoroughly entertained by the little boy they called "kid" aka "Puca" (played by Ravi Ramos Lacerda); he's basically a kid wanting to drown in the world of his fantasies but has to uphold these responsibilities of labor jus like the rest of his family. I found him to be sweet, assertive, and pure comedy. All the roles were praisingly convincing and held my attention the whole way through. I couldn't get over how young Rodrigo looked even though the movie was taped but only two years ago. hehe...young, but oh so adorable :o). He doesn't say much, but...sometimes, words just aren't necessary. Neways, I think the film's great. Not one metaphor or streak of symbolism seemed out of place; not one character seemed a bit too exaggerated or too thin in personality. I really liked this film. Honestly? I really did. =) hehe it has my vote.

This film is so beautiful, from the actors, the setting, the cinematography, the message...it was such a stunning and touching movie. A movie about vengence. A movie about love among family. Brotherly love. I felt myself transported and enraptured by this movie. More of a peek into time and space rather than watching a movie, really. To be utterly forgotten that I was watching this at home, from my VCR and feel as though I could taste the dust and feel the grind of the sugarcane mill...Who knew one could extract such sadness and anger from the sight of a bloodstained shirt, billowing in the wind as if it were dancing? Walter Salles did. The pace was deliberately slow. It's like reading a book very slowly, because you want to soak in every word and don't want to reach it's inevitable end. So if you'd rather watch a Kung Fu movie, fine.Wonderful performances by Rodrigo Santoro (yes, he's gorgeous, can we all get over that and take his performance for what it's really worth? Tell me his doe-eyed, innocent, 'boy trapped in a man's body' performance wasn't convincing, cus it was to me), Jose Dumont as the rigid and exhausted father, and especially the charming, darling young Ravi Ramos Lacerda.