Cidade De Deus

Cidade De Deus

Directed by Fernando Meirelles/ Katia Lund

Photographed by Cesar Charlone

2002

Starring: Alexandre Rodrigues, Seu Jorge

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Throughout the 100+ years of cinema, many gangster films have been produced, some good, many bad. Most of these films follow someone introducing us and taking us through their experience in an organized crime world but this is where City of God differs. In this 2002 crime drama, we are taken into this world by someone who has nothing to do with crime, but just happens to be in the middle of it. Instead of glorifying the lavish life of crime, like gangster movies usually do, this picture shows us the unfiltered, gritty, crude reality that comes with the particular lifestyle. Rocket, played immaculately by Alexandre Rodrigues, is an aspiring photographer in the slums of Rio, whose childhood acquaintances have grown to become feared and respected gangsters. The film's narrative structure works perfectly to reveal only a bit of the plot at the time, keeping us at the edge of our seats. The picture's cinematography aide the plot massively. The shaky, steady-cam often give us this raw emotion, authenticity. The film is aesthetically beautiful, although the subject matter isn't. Perdition is presented in an exceptional way.