The story of medical doctor/politician Bezerra de Menezes (played by an impecable Carlos Vereza), the doctor of souls who divulged the Spiritism/Kardecism
doctrine in Brazil and its teachings about the human soul and reincarnation is transformed into a fine movie on his importance and his legacy as a savior of
souls whose charitable work served as inspiration to millions of people, even today. A quite good film but also very soap-opera-ish in style and presentation
which doesn't enrich its noble intentions and might look corny or tacky to some.
Eternal villain in countless projects, lead actor Vereza gives a masterful and delicated performance in the title role of Menezes, a man who seeks a
purpose in life after reaching out to several important positions, and when he witness a table-turning gathering where desimbodied spirits make contacts
with the living and then he starts to study Allan Kardec's teachings, he devotes himself to improve the lives of those in need and make contacts with the
after-life. For those who don't follow the religion/doctrine it sounds funny, a sacrilege or unbelievable, so I urge you to research just some basic information
about the Spiritism so you can analyze the film in a better light. It's about the process of evolution done here on Earth so we can improve our spiritual life
and reach out the comfort of Heaven or be in the presence of God, but there's also the case of those who don't evolve and can get sent to places of damnation or
returning to life - reincarnation - until evolution is reached.
The way the message was spread in the movie is very easy to follow and quite positive (though a little preachy), even the many challenges faced by the doctor with opposite
people who thought he was delivering messages from hell or that he was crazy for following such doctrine (even members of his own family started to avoid
him after his transition and work devoted to the cause). My favorite sequence revolves on him convincing a skeptic man in the audience about the spirits and
how they work and their path to evolution and how it starts in the world of living. Vereza/Bezerra long speech is just amazing.
But as said before, the melodramatic and over simplistic presentation kills the enjoyment a little. It doesn't feel as if you're seeing a movie, it's
more like a poor telenovela whose script isn't so inspiring or gripping. Plus the editing and camera angles were repetitively boring, almost as if the director
kept filming a whole scene from just two angles in order to save money. Other complaint comes from a dedicatee at the ending which was a little upsetting. Won't
bother discussing it, except that while I do understand its message and why it's in the movie, I don't agree wholeheartedly with its intent neither its
inclusion (it's just me, this slightly non-evolved spirit).
As a way to know Bezerra de Menezes and his contribution to the world of Spiritism in Brazil, it's a quite important film and very easy to follow. The period
recreation is amazingly good and impressive, and the cast (which includes a phenomenal dramatic performance by eternal comic actor Lúcio Mauro) is quite nice - though I
couldn't understand why Caio Blat was reduced to an unimportant cameo.
And the great work continues and lives on. 8/10.
