The biggest attractive of "A Mãe" ("The Mother") is watching another masterful performance by an amazing actress who excels herself time and
again. It's a solid proof of the talent of the great Marcélia Cartaxo, who started out in the brilliant "A Hora da Estrela" and went on to a
successful career in many films and TV series, yet you probably don't remember the name or the face, as she really disappears with each character
she plays. Writer/director Christian Burlan ("Fome") hasn't overstated when saying he couldn't make the film without Marcélia; without her, it's
just another cliched story about a desperate mother who wants to find her missing son.
The film follows Maria, a middle-aged single mom who raises her teenage son Valdo (Dunstin Farias) in the East Zone of São Paulo's outskirts,
by selling cheap sunglasses in the downtown area. One day, Valdo disappears and the only information Maria knows is that he was in the neighborhood
walking along with his best friend. From there, it starts the sad reality of many parents trying to figure out what happened to their sons and daughters,
if alive where are they, if dead the only consolation is to find the body to be buried. Maria asks neighbors, friends, goes to the police, which upsets
a drug dealer (Henrique Zanoni) from the area, attends the morgue (what a scene!), missing persons group, yet nothing comes out of those places and people, only rumours
that Valdo could have a victim by the police as usually happens in poor areas either by mistake or by intention.
Considering our Brazilian perspective of seeing stories like those in the news and police programs, it's easy to understand why audiences avoid
that kind of film. It's too downer, it's too close to home or it's too real. However, this is why films like this should be made and seen, and Mr. Burlan
doesn't need to depend on imagination to create his story (as it really happened to his younger brother) and he makes a film that it's painfully realistic
in everything it shows, there's no lie or exaggeration in it. Believable stories are important too, a lot more than big budget dreams and fantasy.
But besides the tragedy of it all, it comes off as a sort of pamphlet story that points its fingers against police forces and their procedures.
Some might object to that as it is a very direct attack, it also "sells" an organization against such acts, and despite the truthness about what it
is shown, it explains things too much to audiences.
A return to my main point must be done with a wider perspetive that goes beyond the film and it improves the viewing. Marcélia Cartaxo does not
act, she lives and breathes the character through all of her actions, emotions, talks and silent moments. With this character, I envisioned as an extension of
her famous Macabéa in "A Hora da Estrela", making a full circle for the actress, as we're allowed to imagine if that character had a longer life she
would be Maria. Both characters from the Northeast of Brazil, who try to make a living in São Paulo, with the little education they were given and not
knowing much about life and the world around them, but honest and hard-working women who face countless difficulties and then life hits them with
complex turning points (but Maria is a tougher fighter).
It's very hard for actors to have that kind of dynamic, get great scripts in different stages
of life where a similar parallel can be made of what we watch from them on the screen, as they grow and evolve and we go along. Burlan knew exactly
what to extract from the veteran actress and the result is beyond phenomenal. Obvious that you can watch "A Mãe" without seeing the 1985 film debut of
Marcélia, it works just fine. But watching both, you can attest that you're seeing one of the greatest Brazilian actresses to ever grace the screen.
Sublime experiences. 9/10.
