Time passages and time transformations can change people in dramatic and drastic ways, turning them into cynicals, heartless, maybe
achieving some desired goal or maybe succumbing to a quiet resignation. Hearts may be broken, hope is practically lost but a majority keep on
going without giving up because we are creatures of habit and we don't know anything better. I'm not saying that "O Príncipe" ("The Prince" is
a complete existential film, but it definitely touches those themes and those thought-provoking issues as it analyzes a man's return to his
homeland after a 20-year absence living abroad and failing to recognise the country he once lived and love, and the people who were fundamental in his trajectory.
Intellectual Gustavo (Eduardo Tornaghi) went to exile in Paris like many other people who were opposed the military regime in the 1960's
and 1970's. When he returns two decades later, he tries to reconnect with his family, friends and the love of his life (Bruna Lombardi), a beautiful
woman he had to leave behind due to the heavy political atmosphere of the 1970's. Everybody's transformed but it seems that he was the only who deep
down remained the same, haven't changed with his idealism and thoughts and it's hard to understand what happened to his people, what happened to
this country. There were changes for the better, but the shock of new things and a new reality seem to suffocate him.
A few examples: two of his
best friends (Otávio Augusto and Ewerton de Castro), they were the typical college students who supported left-wing causes, a free-spirited society
and fought against the military, but now they're successful liberal professionals, with power and wealth, part of the ruling class they were disgusted
to see. Cynicism at its best, but luckily they don't reject Gustavo neither go at each other's throats with political/economical debates. Sad but
truth, it happens as people need to survive and ideologies don't last too long neither fill anyone's pockets or provide food on the table. A happier
encounter goes with Aron (Elias Andreato), a man who lives in poverty serving food for homeless people in a charitable project. Interesting to notice
that they were from the circle of friends but there was some rivalry between them as they both fell in love with the same woman; and he's the most
sincere of those characters, without losing his commitment from his younger days. He simply remained hidden, suffered a lot but he has a life full
of plentitude.
Another major change (and the one that got me the most, whenever I watch this film) comes with Gustavo's nephew, the high school History teacher Mário (a
brilliant Ricardo Blat) who was sent to a psychiatric hospital after a massive nervous breakdown in front of the students and one of them filmed
the whole bizarre class with the man giving subversive remarks as if rewritting history. On my first view, way back in time, it seemed that the
teacher's speech had some validity and was worth thinking about; years later one can see it how critical and erratic he was, with some small good
points. Uncle and nephew visit seem to calm the moods, but it also shows us that the lost man has gone to a point of no return and nothing and no one
can't help him. They're both living in a wrong era, nothing favors them and little they can change about such reality.
"O Príncipe" covers a great deal of Brazil's society, its clash between past and present and how difficult, nearly impossible, to leave
past ideologies, past tragedies in the place where they belong: in the past. The haunting echoes and painful memories, some nostalgic and good,
mold the places where we live, the lives that we lead, and a nation as it is today and everything from 60 or 50 years ago are deeply imbued
into our collective conscience, our collective memory and you can't get away from it - unless to those who haven't studied history or don't have
any interest in knowing about it. And that last portion is what kills the perception of a nation and its historical infamy, especially if considering
the rise of dictatorship nostalgic people who claimed times were better.
It's a huge task to follow the intricate ways the film molds its story but it's a very rewarding piece, one that gets better with time. Won't
say it's a flaw but it's something that I don't tend to like when watching movies and that relates to the lead character: literature and films revolving
on passive characters usually don't work as it gives the impression their presence or absence doesn't affect the fate of other characters or the
world around them. Tornaghi's character feels like that, and I struggled to find a good connection between the character and his nickname, taken
from Macchiavelli's book - I read the book and his political philosophy of kingdoms, rulers and their use of power, fear or love but I couldn't
find a definition as to why Gustavo should be considered as The Prince (maybe his way of mediating things, or for being the center of the universe
in that group of friends). The enigma remains with the audiences and that's why I loved it, along with the excellent cast providing credible
performances. One of Ugo Giorgetti's best films and also one of his most underrated. 10/10.
