O Outro Lado da Rua

"The Other Side of the Street" is one of those wonderful films that may be a little hard to take in, but that are so worth the experience. It brilliantly tells a story of a woman on her 60s who is desperately lonely, who is looking for some reason to feel alive and needed. When she witnesses something strange happening on the other side of the street, she immediately finds a way to bring that event into her own dark life. Once more, Fernanda Montenegro proves to be an amazing actress, by giving to her character different nuances of one single self. She is just perfect. It's an actor's film, beautifully directed by M. Bernstein, co-writer of "Central Station". And the music, or the lack of it at some points, transfers the feeling of loneliness from the screen right into the audience. I definitely recommend this film, for those who wish to reflect about the consequences of modern times on common people's lives.

Foreign film moviegoers who appreciated "Central Station" 1998 from director Walter Salles will definitely once again enjoy Fernanda Montenegro in another Brazilian gem, a small one, perhaps, nevertheless, " Outro Lado Da Rua, O" 2004 aka "The Other Side of the Street" from director Marcos Bernstein (who also wrote the story), is a worthy film for wider recognition.

It does remind one of Hitchcock's "Rear Window," yet Regina, the heroine of the story in her sixties, energetically portrayed by Montenegro, is dutifully observing 'the other side of the street' through her binoculars vs. from the 'rear' of her building. And, this is not exactly a thriller, it's very much a human story: of two lonely people who needed to open up, reach out to touch someone and be touched. By circumstance or by fate, the human spirit at heart, quietly beckons to be rekindled. What's old age? Youthfulness is how comfortable you feel about yourself - let go of burdens and welcome - let love walk in.

Sounds 'corny,' maybe. So say one of Emily Dickinson's 'trimeter' epigrams: "The heart wants what it wants - or else it does not care -" Bernstein's story is sensitive, tender, witty, very much captures the predicaments of the two lead characters. And the music by Guilherme Bernstein Seixas accompanied the scenes well, as if the rhythm and musical notes understood the situation of these two: Regina and Camargo, the retired judge across the street, played wonderfully by Raul Cortez.

I noticed cable Sundance Channel has aired this Brazilian gem several times already. It is available on DVD (1 hr. 38 min.) Check it out and quietly enjoy.

Regina, played by Fernanda Montenegro, is an older woman with firm opinions about people and life. Retired, estranged from family, and living with a pet dog, she spends her days (and nights) as a police volunteer reporting criminal activity near her home, a large apartment tower across from Copacabana beach.

The work gives Regina gives purpose and meaning to any otherwise empty life. Much of her success is likely due to the fact that in a neighborhood crowded with young, beautiful people, an elderly woman is practically invisible.

One day she sees a man kill his wife. When the police refuse to act, Regina decides to investigate on her own. The quiet story that follows is engaging, surprising, and full of insights into the life of the elderly.

7/10

Writer Marcos Bernstein ('Central Station') takes a step forward as Director of yet another soulful and touching film about aging and the loneliness and isolation that surrounds our older generations. Together with Melanie Dimantas he has written a story that is not only intriguing as a suspense tale, but it is also one of the most moving love stories between older people that has graced the screen.

Regina (Fernanda Montenegro) lives alone with her devoted dog Betina, her only visits to family are with her grandson: she rarely sees her son's home as her son is still friends with her estranged husband. Regina has found a hobby to fill her days - she has become a volunteer police informant for the Copacabano police, visiting bars where drug deals are rampant and then reporting the findings to the police. Her high-rise apartment faces another like apartment across the street and she spends her idle hours watching her neighbors through binoculars, not in a snoopy way but as a manner of relieving her boredom of solitude.

One evening she observes an older man give an lethal injection to his wife, and thinking she has observed a murder she notifies the police who respond, only to discover the older man is Judge Carmago (Raul Cortez) and thus dismiss the intrusion as a false call by Regina. Regina knows what she saw and despite the abuse she receives from the policeman Alcides (Luiz Carlos Persy) she is intent on investigating the 'crime'. She stalks Carmago and eventually Carmago confronts her behavior, stating that if she has questions of him she should join him for lunch or dinner. The two lonely older people gradually get to know each other and a relationship ensues that surprises them both. Regina's shell of emotional protection is cracked and the two explore the vulnerability of feelings usually reserved for the young. How Regina's life is altered by this adventure makes for an illuminating finale to the film.

Fernanda Montenegro is luminous as Regina. She is an actress in her late seventies who is able to invoke tremendous responses from an audience, so multifaceted are her talents. Raul Cortez likewise is a veteran actor (his first film was in 1957) who has depth of character and technique that makes his role gleam. This film is a brave one, a film unafraid to address delicate issues about love among the elderly and achieve a stunning level of dignity and discretion that binds the viewer to the story. The atmosphere is enhanced by the minimal music score from Guilherme Bernstein Seixas and by the clever cinematography of Toca Seabra. This is a lovely film that should appeal to all audiences, especially those who fell in love with Fernanda Montenegro in 'Central Station'. Grady Harp

Very nice Brazilian neo-noir, a mix of Rear Window with romantic drama in the third-age, with Copacabana as the background. The script is very well written (very nice and smart dialogs, often funny), and direction, acting (Fernanda Montenegro, Raul Cortez and, although with a minor role, Laura Cardoso!) and shooting are excellent. Quite good underrated movie.