O Homem Que Desafiou o Diabo

I liked a lot this movie, because it shows a face of Brazil that doesn't have to do with samba, carnival, or favelas. It's about the northeastern culture, music and myths, which have almost nothing to do with the rest of the country (except for the language, and even that changes a lot). This movie has great landscapes, the photography is gorgeous, and has that sort of "magical realism" that was very celebrated during the 60's, 70's in Latinamerican literature. Is a great way to remember that once in America (and until now in some parts), magic and reality are the main ingredients of life itself. Great movie, great trip, that leaves you with great feelings, and of course, the anxiety to see those lands by oneself.

In the Northeastern of Brazil, the wolf traveling salesman of fabric José Araújo (Marcos Palmeira) arrives at Jardim dos Caiacós and succeeds in selling his merchandise to the Turkish Turco (Renato Consorte). He goes to a ball to celebrate the business and he meets Dualiba (Lívia Falcão), the forty and something year-old virgin daughter of Turco. He shags Dualiba and she tells her father what happened, and José Araújo is forced to marry her. When the resigned Araújo discovers that he is the motive of joke in the town, he changes his name to Ojuara and becomes a fearless lonely rider though the countryside of Northeastern to the paradisiacal São Sarué. Along his journey, his name becomes a legend that has defeated the devil and many bullies. In his romantic saga, he meets the gorgeous Jacirene a.k.a. Genifer (Fernanda Paes Leme) in a brothel; the circus acrobat in the trapeze Sue (Juliana Porteus); the evil Mãe de Pantanha (Flávia Alessandra) and her "vagina dentata" ("toothed vagina"); and the daughter of a powerful farmer Eleonora (Giselle Lima).

I loved the surrealistic Brazilian movie "O Homem Que Desafiou o Diabo". The story is totally related to the imaginary and legends in the culture of the Northeastern of Brazil, and overseas viewers will certainly miss the meaning of the regional vocabulary used by the characters that are impossible to be accurately translated. Even Brazilian viewers not familiarized with the Northeastern culture will not fully understand the words and grammar in the dialogs. Each actor and actress is wonderful and it is quite unfair to highlight individuals performances, but Marcos Palmeira is awesome in the roles of José Araújo and Ojuara (Araújo written backwards, since he is "reborn" the opposite of the happy traveling salesman). The TV soap opera and series actress Fernanda Paes Leme is astonishingly sweet and gorgeous in the role of the disputed prostitute Genifer. Lívia Falcão is hilarious in the role of a forty and something year-old woman that becomes a nymphomaniac after losing her virginity and her sequences are the funniest in this movie. The direction, story, screenplay, cinematography, locations, makeup and special effects are magnificent. The songs of the ex-Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil and André Moraes are adorable. Unfortunately the IMDb User Rating (6/10 with 155 votes) is unfair. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "O Homem Que Desafiou o Diabo" ("The Man that Challenged the Devil")

Regarding the rating, I just want to say I may have to review it later when I see this movie again. It's not that I'm not sure if it deserves a 9/10. But I consider this an extremely high rating, and since I'm still on the "heat" of having just finished watching it for the first time, I feel like I could do a better judgment the next time I see it.

As for now, I think it's a very fair rating. First, because it suits my needs of what I understand to be good cinema - photography that plays a role in the script, decent sound mixing and innovative editing. I dare to say the director is worth a mention on the "new school" of Brazilian directors, alongside Fernando Meirelles and Walter Salles, which have been causing furor worldwide - well, if not worldwide, at least to me.

The storyline took a while to get me interested, but only long enough until I realised it was not your regular Northeastern Brazil drama-comedy. I may be wrong and I probably should do some research before I say anything, but I believe Ojuara's epic journey was supposed to be a free adaptation of Homer's Odissey. If that was not on purpose, or never such a thought has crossed the writers' minds, I stand corrected. Nevertheless, the excitement of the hero's journey to a greater goal is good be found on both.

The colour and the pace of the movie sometimes reminded me of old American (US) western movies, and also newer ones with shooting locations along the Mexican border. It makes me think that desert movies will never get old, given the mysterious connection every human being has with the arid landscape. When I was watching the movie, it also made me realise how rich is Brazil when it comes to scenarios for movie pictures.

No other thing in the movie has caught more my attention though, than the brilliant work by Marcos Palmeira as the leading character. When you think an actor has played every different character he could without risking to a horrible failure, the guy shows up and plays a different one even better than you could ever expect. Some people outside Brazil may not be aware of the diversity of the accents in which Portuguese is spoken within the country's borders. Well, I tell you, the speech of Northeastern states (where the story is located) and that of Rio de Janeiro, metropolitan and countryside São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul and other Southern states... they are by no means the same. I can even say that, at times, they're not even mutually intelligible.

People that have HBO may have heard about Mandrake, the original series created by HBO Brasil and shown in a few other countries. Palmeira is also the leading character in the series named after the carioca (from Rio, the city) private investigator. If you have watched the series, you would know how a true carioca sounds like. And Palmeira is perfect not only because he speaks exactly like cariocas do, but because he acts, speaks, moves and basically IS a carioca.

In "O Homem...", he plays a Northeastern guy with probably the same level of verisimilitude. You totally buy he's a native potiguar (from Rio Grande do Norte state). On the few scenes he shared with musician-turned-actor Otto, one can barely distinguish the real Northeastern guy from the fake one. This same verisimilitude was a lot harder to find on other non-Northeastern members of the cast though, like carioca Leandro Firmino Da Hora (City of God) or paulista co-star Fernanda Paes Leme (which also starred in a Mandrake episode).

Anyways, in a time when Meirelles' Blindness seems to be getting misunderstood by the world connoisseurs, it's good to remember there's awesome Brazilian cinema being made for a while now, and unfortunately it seems it will take some time until the world can enjoy it.

One day I was just doing nothing in my house when my father stomped on my room and said "My son! We have a good to see today!" making me quite surprised as I really seen him so excited about a random movie. After reaching the end of the movie I must say that I could not fault him as the movie was really that good. The movie is a mix of various folk tales from the "Sertão" region of Brazil on the history of the semi-mythical Ojuara, a bohemian hero born of the mistreatments done to a common fellow. He travels around this region looking for the "end of the world" in a quite literal and non literal meaning of the world. It shows a rarely seen side of Brazil with an optimistic view, as what most of the foreigner people now about this area and its people is about misery sadness and other tragic feelings, as they like to forget all the magic and happiness that surrounds and enshrouds these places. From the Baianas to the Orixas and from Our Holy mother of Aparecida to Padinho Ciço, the wonders and magic of this region will completely and utterly capture the heart of anyone that sees it.

O Homem Que Desafiou o Diabo is a film that holds the viewer's attention from start to finish . The plot is very interesting and fun , showing several things from northeast Brazil everyday and also its folklore . I particularly watch the film in question whenever I can and I like more and more of it. The costume is very good , considering the characters are properly characterized as true Northeastern , unlike what is shown in several soap operas on broadcast television . Marcos Palmeira has great performance in this film , showing once again that is a great actor for comedy films . There is also the participation of a large cast, with actors consecrated by the public and critics . Who has not seen the movie and enjoy a good comedy should run to see.