Boi Neon

Well, this is certainly something different. I can't think what the last Brazilian film was I saw but it was certainly nothing like this. Set in rural Brazil this colourful little piece depicts a group taking a number of bulls on the road to participate in a series of rodeos. The whole thing is mind boggling, the show itself seems only to consist of two horseman trapping one of the bulls between them and then competing to turn the animal over by pulling its tale. Along the way we get a prize bull being masturbated in an attempt to steal its semen and an explicit sex scene wth a beautiful and heavily pregnant lady security guard cum seller of perfume to those labouring amidst all the muck. There is charm and interest plus a little humour and some glorious photography though very little narrative as such.

As someone who moved with his family to the other end of the world (Montevideo) at age 2 and absorbed that culture until age 8, I am always attracted to South American movies. It is a much different world, and Neon Bull shows that in every aspect. The sensuality mixed with brutality, the sheer strangeness of cowboys ogling a dancing scantily clad woman wearing a horse head and hooves, and unique relationships which of necessity are forged by the need to survive a hostile environment make this a compelling watch. It's an upside down world to be sure, and if you are tired of MPAA ratings affecting what you watch, let alone the excess censorship of most television, this is for you. Enjoy the ride, although for some it may take you by the tail and tip you off your feet.

We all have heard something about Brazil. Carnival, favelas, soccer... One thing that I discovered watching this film is that I truly no nothing about this country and that still being a mystery to me, what is magical by the way. Different from some famous Brazilian movies (like City of God) Boi Neon don't talk about poverty or favelas, actually it's a movie about possibilities and dreams. The story of Iremar, a cowpoke who dreams with glitter and dresses show us a new world of possibilities coming from all Brazil. A truly beautiful way to tell the story of a nation who is constantly changing, full of hope and creativity. Director Gabriel Mascaro films all his character as an observer, someone from outside that don't even wants to move a hand to interfere in such a natural spectacle. At the same time his fascination almost eat the screen and this ferocity can reflect in the audience, completely enrapture. Boi Neon (Neon Bull) is magic, dream, a new way to see a country, a new way to see films. It's definitely not the kind of film we see everyday.

I don't know if this is allowed but here goes. I see a lot of movies and submit a review for most of them. I really didn't know how to describe neon bull so I didn't review it. I just wanted to say that the review by eurogary (see above) says pretty much what I was thinking but couldn't manage to put down on paper, so to speak. a cowboy's journey through a few days of his life. it is really a very good movie and unusual. one thing I would point out is that even in eastern brazil, where there doesn't seem to be a lot going on, web addresses appear on most of the advertising signs filmed. it is a small world after all. and yes indeed, this is not a movie for prudes.

A very naturalistic approach, an honest eye, nothing feels enhanced, curated or manipulated, although it surely has, it's a movie. But the impression is that of a fly on the wall camera shooting some sort of South-American road movie and it's of course very fresh because we rarely get to see that kind of life, landscape, culture, even people. It took me a while to understand the concept of the rodeo here because it's so wildly different from US ones, these bulls barely look like bulls and the purpose is to grab them by the tail and make them fall down. Crazy right? It took me a while to understand the first scene, where he dusts the bull's tail.

So nothing is censored and we get a lot of profanity, nudity, abuse and even child abuse, rough living, a hard life that these guys don't complain that much about. They want more money to do or get other stuff, but the odd thing about it is that at least Iremar seems to enjoy what he does for a living, or at least not to be bothered by it. He doesn't hide or block the other side of him. He just lives his life.

It's a fine movie for the above reasons and if that sounds interesting go ahead. It didn't blow my mind as some said it would, it didn't even rock my evening and it was difficult to find but I personally don't regret seeing it. I appreciate the otherness of this movie. But it didn't do it for me.