Amarelo Manga

To comment on the moribund nature of society? If that's what you're into then watch the evening news and save two hours of your life. It is rare that I watch a movie and feel that it fails to portray any kind of worthwhile social commentary--especially when the movie, from the beginning, seems determined to try to do so. Amarelo Manga becomes an unintentional parody of sweeping social commentary and fades, instead, into fascination with the sexually deviant. I give it three stars because Matheus Nachtergaele gives a memorable performance as a gay hotel tramp who is always trying to involve himself in others' affairs (and get them involved in his). His performance notwithstanding, this movie is not worth the time.

Cláudio Assis won several awards at festivals for his feature debut, "Amarelo Manga" aka "Mango Yellow". His mosaic about some very troubled lives starts intriguing, and the talented, versatile cast (Matheus Nachtergaele, Chico Diaz, Dira Paes, Jonas Bloch and Leona Cavalli) keeps our attention till the end. However, Assis fails on the same aspects as other pretense "provocateurs", such as Sérgio Bianchi ("Chronically Unfeasible") and Larry Clark ("Kids" seemed to have some honesty, but "Ken Park" is one of the most unnecessary flicks ever made): excessive nudity (I actually think there should be MORE nudity in films, since nudity should be treated as natural by everybody; but this movie is a great example of how nudity should not be presented), too much visual and verbal masturbation for pure shock factor. I'm far from being a prude and that's why I admire directors like Todd Solondz, Lars von Trier, Pedro Almodóvar and Gregg Araki, just to name a few, who know how to provoke without being shallow, unlike Cláudio.

People like Tata Amaral, Jorge Furtado, Beto Brant (and let's not even mention the internationally acclaimed Hector Babenco, Walter Salles and Fernando Meirelles), have made thought-provoking, intelligent films, without being gratuitous or shallow. They are the real provocateurs in Brazilian cinema, something that Assis and Sérgio Bianchi haven't proved to be, yet. There's more to a provocateur than "sex and stomach": wit is essential to the mixture, Mr. Assis. 3/10.

This was a thoroughly disgusting and pointless film and I am not sure how folks could watch and praise it. The movie is filled with disgusting and wretchedness. Were these sentiments strong enough to hopefully keep you from seeing this film---I sure hope so! My thorough disgust for the film isn't because it shows the lowest elements of Brazilian society-- after all, I was quick to praise films like CITY OF GOD and CENTRAL STATION--and these films were violent and scary. However, their portrayals of the violence and cheapness of life in the lowest social strata were meant to be eye-opening and document the horrors--not provide a voyeuristic chamber of horrors meant only to turn our stomachs. I won't even begin to describe all the viscerally vile images from MANGO YELLOW--partly because they make me ill just thinking about it and partly because I could only take the movie to a certain point, then I made myself get up and turn it off! It truly seems to try to alienate much of its audience.

If you want a similar experience, go to a slaughterhouse (it's already in the film) or stare at feces (it's also in the film and is apparently eaten by one of the scum in the film). Yuck.

This film is a raw and realistic portrait of humble people of Recife, their fight for survival and loving desire. Fotography is impressive, cause almost every scene the color of its title is present.

I do not recommend this film and as another reviewer has stated, it is not a good representation of the country or even the city of Recife, Brazil. It is needlessly depressing. If you can take the movie as a criticism of life itself, it could have more meaning. The stereotypes and innuendos depicted about Brazilian life are not characteristic of the subject. The spiritual journey of the main character is depicted as a positive one, but it suggests that the only escape available for her is to have a solitary life.