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Category:    Home > Reviews > Drama > Foreign > Brazil > City Of Men – The Complete Series

City Of Men – The Complete Series

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Episodes: B-

 

 

If you want truth, life, and pure sense realism forget all other reality television and prepare yourself for City of Men.  Television series like Survivor, Big Brother, or the Surreal Life don’t stand up half as well against the innovative, Brazilian television series City of Men.  City of Men is dark, gritty, and real; this being an impressive statement to make seeing as how this is not reality TV but a scripted series.  On this heart wrenching series we delve into the dramatic lives of two teenage boys learning to be themselves in a world that keeps them down, in the slums of the hazardous Rio de Janeiro.  Throughout series we see two boys (Darlan Cunha and Douglas Silva) grow up as they jump through the array of flaming hoops and hurdles that life throws at them.  Together these boys learn about life and what it is to live.  Guns, violence, bullies, and drugs run rampant throughout these boys’ lives, not being something that just happens, but rather a part of daily life that is unavoidable.

 

Throughout the 19 episodes of this intriguing series we see the boys going through many changes of life, experiencing violence, death, a quest for family, a quest for money, a quest for sex, and all of the consequences that follow these quests.  Life is a huge quest for these young boys; having been cast by society into the roles of men before their time.  The show is a dose of hard reality about a 3rd world country, but concurrently humor runs alongside the deep emotion of the series.  The humor, where often dark, manages to lighten the mood even in the hardest of situations.  Overall the series is quite excellent and a great change from the all too “not real” reality television that has plagued our minds for the past 16 years.

 

The writers and directors of this series entwine many other elements to compliment the presented events of these young boys.  Ethnic music and dance run throughout, in some unexpected situations but lend to the feel and atmosphere of the series.  Also the camera work of the series is also interesting, on many occasions being obvious that hand cameras were utilized to give a realistic feel.  On the whole, the effective writing with these other elements infused only propels the series to greatness.

 

The DVD’s technicals are not outstanding but remain effective for the needs of the series.  The picture is presented in a full frame format that detracts from the cinematic feel that is trying to be portrayed.  The series, to many extents, is meant to be dark and gritty but it is apparent at times the coloring is to dark or bright beyond the intended nature of the series.  The sound is adequate in its Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo format but often the sound gets louder and lighter unexpectedly.  The extras are poor, being nonexistent with the exception of a few previews.  This reviewer hopes that the series becomes available in a cleaner Widescreen HD format.

 

City of Men like the film it is based on (City of God) is a groundbreaking series that is sure to stun and entertain all.  The one issue remains is that the series is in fact presented in Portuguese with English subtitles and moves at a fast paced; making it difficult to even turn one’s head momentarily.  Overall, the subtitles don’t remain a problem after the series has caught your interest.  The series is excellent and interesting.  So for viewers out there wanting a dose of another culture that is truly foreign to us as Americans, City of Men is sure to please on many levels.

 

 

-   Michael P. Dougherty II


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