Tolerância

This is a great example of the new Brazilian movie scene. This new generation of directors are doing a great job in movies that intends to be more global. Here, we have a thriller played in Porto Alegre (south of Brazil), but the action could be played in New York, São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. A great option for anybody sick of the old Brazilian scheme of Misery-Cinema. The director, Carlos Gerbase, is also a University Teacher and a former punk-rock Drummer. His second movie, "Sal de Prata", is also remarkable. He and the other roterist, Jorge Furtado (famous for his short movie "Ilha das Flores", and director of "Meu Tio matou um cara") are fruits of the Porto Alegre Cinema House (Casa de Cinema de Porto Alegre), one of the most important movements on the contemporary Brazilian cine.

Tolerancia is a movie so bad, you cannot help laughing most of the time. Like one of those trash movies, the acting is so bad, the storyline so stupid, the sex scenes so pathetic, that you ask yourself - what's wrong with these people?

To add insult to injury, the movie seems to be some kind of a promotional for a) using condoms, showed prominently before any sex-scenes (I remember in Germany they used to have these anti-aids spots in the 90s, but they lasted 30 seconds, not two hours, and they were much more entertaining), and b) the digital world. We're talking 2000 in Brazil, and this guy is working all day with his digital camera (!). Give me a break.

The most pathetic part is when a guy comes up to the main character and says "my speciality is the Internet. I'm really good at it. I also know a lot about digital cameras". This reminded me of movie disasters like "the net", which pathetically tried to be hip, showing an embarrassing lack of understanding for anything digital.

2/10 (two, not one, because the movie is in brazilian portuguese, possibly the most beautiful language on earth).

Sometimes, brazilians directors decide to shoot films using the hollywood style. That is, in simple words, a story just to entertain.

"Tolerancia"`s screenplay is an example of that. It`s quite good, very imaginative, with a great end, in the same line as Hitchcock's movies. But the director, Carlos Gerbase, is not Hitch. And that makes a huge difference.

It's fun to see it. But very forgettable. There are some sex scenes that are really a little bit over ... If you want to see good new brazilian movies try "Central do Brasil", "Four Days in September", "Eu, Tu, Eles", "O Quatrilho", "Dois Córregos" and "Bossa Nova".

Carlos Gerbase is not very well known even in Brazil; only the people who really go out to find out more than just see brazillian movies really know him. And it's really sad. Gerbase is one of the most competent directors (and writers) of Brazil. This "Tolerancia" is here just to prove that.

Brazilian star Maite Proenca really surprises with a different character comparing with what she used to do, and does a great work; Roberto Bomtempo is really one of the most competent actors of Brazil today, but is more only a "known face" than a big name here, and he shows up with a masterpiece performance, sometimes making the others to become only in his shadows. The rest of the cast are resumed in some new actors (at movies) and veterans - Schunneman don't have much time to make the characterization of his character in the movie, but even with what little time he had is capable to make his character in a little dialogue with Proenca.

Smart, intelligent, competent, entertaining, very well-done and a real surprise - Gerbase's "Tolerancia" is a really good movie. Try to escape from pictures like "Bossa Nova", "O Quatrilho" or "Four Days in September", brazillian movies who only seem to be good because they are known outside the country - let's give a chance for movies like "Tolerancia" or "Cronicamente Inviavel", really great movies made in Brazil, that never became really known outside of the country.

In the city of Porto Alegre, in south of Brazil, the lawyer Márcia (Maitê Proença) is married with Júlio (Roberto Bomtempo), who works in a magazine for men using the computer for edition and improvement of the pictures of the models. Their open marriage is based on the truth only and they do not lie to each other. They have a seventeen years old daughter, Guida (Ana Maria Mainieri), who plays guitar in a rock band. Márcia is presently defending the no-land Teodoro (Nélson Diniz) from the accusation of killing a member of a powerful family, owner of the lands where he has been living with his family for more than thirty years. One day, Guida brings her best friend Ana Maria (Maria Ribeiro) to her family's country house to spend the weekend with them, and Ana Maria try to seduce Júlio. However, due to his fidelity and loyalty to his wife Márcia, Júlio does not have an intercourse with Ana Maria. However, one night Márcia confesses to Júlio that she had had one night stand with her client Teodoro, but she would be still in love with Júlio. Very jealous and bitter, Júlio goes to the apartment of Ana Maria and has a short affair with her. Later, he tells Márcia what he did, Márcia becomes very upset and goes to Ana Maria's place and has a serious discussion with her. When Júlio goes to Ana Maria's apartment, she is dead and all evidences of the crime point to Júlio. A very amoral end concludes the story. This movie is another good example of the present moment of the Brazilian cinema. A great thriller, very erotic, using political ingredients in a parallel plot and having good performances of Maitê Proença and Roberto Bomtempo. The amoral end may not satisfy all the tastes, but I liked a lot. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): `Tolerância' (`Tolerance')