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The best Mozambican film I have ever seen, reveals the enormous potential for storytelling based on local African realities

Well acted, fast paced, highly convincing and timely, this fresh surprise from Mozambique breathes originality. An ex con returns home and is tempted to go back to his criminal activities in order to make ends meet and save his house. Things turn violent and unexpected and the viewer is invited for a humbly efficient ride of violence and corruption. Plus the cinematography is outstanding and the actors (even the small parts) are incredibly great. Excellent!

A sizzling, contemporary, crisply edited film based in Mozambique, with a dynamic soundtrack and wonderful performances...what else might you want? Though (I suppose) it was probably released in a language other than English the version I enjoyed was very expertly dubbed to English - and in a fashion that enhanced the film and kept the story moving much more quickly than subtitles might have, IMHO. Most of the action takes place in and around Maputo, and the filming captures the bright & beautiful colors of Eastern Coastal Africa, I'm a little shocked by the budget listed on IMDB, the production costs alone would clearly be several times that amount. The hip hop/Afro pop soundtrack is a real treat, never overbearing, offering the sort of freshness I usually look around for as a 'soundtrack' compilation release after I've enjoyed an assembly of sounds like the movie offers. Special mention to Director Mickey Fonseca who has a pretty nice resume on IMDB if you read the fine print, Gil Alexandre, who has the lead role, and Laquino Fonseca, playing an old friend. Overall, my first try with a movie from Mozambique, and now I'm looking for another.

Hopefully this review/warning will help others to steer clear of this disaster of a movie. As I was watching this film I couldn't help but think that none of these characters are real actors because none of them could act. The plot and premise of the film is pretty straight forward and almost workable if it wasn't spoiled by bad writing, terrible acting, laughable characters, hard to believe premise, and stupid over usage of the 'n' word. Everytime one of these on screen idiots opened his mouth they used the 'n' word like a bunch of wannabe gangsta rappers....laughable at best. The basic plot....a man gets out of prison after four years and returns home to baby and momma. He finds out his mother died and her house is foreclosed unless $30k is paid. The ex-con has a job, a wife with a house, a baby, and yet he returns to crime because he wants to keep his dead mommas house, why? So from that scenario the ex-con goes back to his old ways falling in with old crime buddies and its all down hill from there. No redemption at all anywhere. The producers make every character seem as stupid and dumb as dirt. Dont waste your time with this one. Rated a 5 for barely watchable.

This movie is great. It's smart, well written and brightly directed. Thumbs up for all the cast. They really did an amazing job. The action sequences are undeniably good. Sure, it's not a Hollywood blockbuster, but it shines really bright with it's limited budget. Curious fact: it was shot in Mozambique and it's a local production with premium quality. You just can't go wrong watching it.