O Homem que Copiava

The Man Who Copied tells the story of a young adult attempting to break himself free from the life that society and fate has drawn for him. Andre, the protagonist, is a 19 year old Brazilian, toiling as a "photocopy operator," while pursuing his hobby – comic illustration, and a love he is not sure he can realize. The film is filled with quaint analogies of "art imitating life" and vice versa, and portrays the exterior world and the personalities that inhabit it as illustrated avatars, behind which lurk unexpected and surprising motives, dreams, and desires. It IS very similar to the film "Amelie" in this aspect. The film is a painting depicting the many shades of truth, and shows the absurdity of preconception and expectation. It is bright, uplifting, and full of exciting plot twists that will keep the viewer glued to the screen until the very end (although it starts a bit slowly).

The director uses cinematic technique to portray a fragmented world—that of Andre's existence, (as well as that of contemporary Brazil, as a whole) and attempts to scrutinize the minutiae of daily life in order to distill its essence and produce a vision of WHY we go about mundane and mechanical daily tasks, and how easily one can get caught up in a web of deception and false pretense. The photography is excellent, combining the brightness and color of South America with cutting edge editing and camera technique.

The film is also a subtle social commentary on the state of modern Brazil, illustrating the drastic economic disparity between the wealthy social elite and the pedestrian worker, yet stressing the fact that one can cross over to the other side with greater ease as technology and years advance. "The Man Who Copied" documents a class of people who live a short, but dramatically visible step above those portrayed in "City Of God," and really succeeds in drawing us into the mindset and dreams of the characters. This is a "coming of age" story, not just for its central characters, but for Brazil itself.

If you enjoy this film, I strongly suggest that you check out "City Of God," "Nine Queens," and "Amelie." All of them are foreign films (two from South America) and all share some unique common thread with this film. Highly Recommended!

'Money is only paper that people believe is worth something. If nobody believes it, it's useless,' says Andre, a young man who works as a paper copier in a store but really wants to work as a cartoonist.

Too bad that everyone believes that money is a very useful piece of paper. Andre doesn't make enough money. His paycheck is low and he struggles with his meager budget, which allows him to buy and do very little. Everyday, he thinks of different ways to make money.

The need of money can make a person do some desperate things and Andre becomes desperate when he meets the girl of his dreams. He needs money to spend on her. His desperation leads him to make some very questionable choices.

Andre's character is so likable that I couldn't help but cheer him on to succeed in his dreams. I hoped that he would not get in trouble or hurt. The people around him like his girlfriend Sylvia, his co-worker Marinez, and her friend Cardoso are all appealing characters to watch.

This is a fun movie to watch with interesting twists and turns to the very end. It's a good story with a good ending.

This movie has it all - adventure, crime, romance, friendship, humor. It's surprising - you newer know what's going to happen next, you're kept in suspense. It's personal and heartfelt without being tepid and pink.

The characters are very realistic and they make very fine, well balanced portraits. And it's a movie that can make you think a lot, if you want to - you can also choose just to hop on board and follow the flow of this journey.

Great ending! - I admit, I'm a weak sucker for an ending like that! :) This is a tenner! 10/10

That's a really great movie, very fun, the plot is original and the script unpredictable. I would tell more if my english was better, ok?:) If you don't like foreign movies, don't be scared: it's a enjoyable inteligent movie, it worth the subtitles.

"O homem que copiava" (The Photocopier Man) is a very nice movie. A creative plot, that proves that money doesn't bring happiness, but helps a lot...Lazaro Ramos is in one of its best performances. No violence, no sex, no further apellation but a great history. Impossible to get out of the theater without a big smile...9/10!