Copacabana: the notorious neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro bathed by the world-famous beach, location of countless Brazilian and international films (especially sex comedies), the most densely populated 5 square km in Latin America. That's where "O Diabo a Quatro" takes place, as it follows 4 main characters from different backgrounds whose lives will criss-cross there: Rita de Cássia (Maria Flor), Amazon-born babysitter who has a grudge on Paulo Roberto (Marcelo Faria), a Spicoli-like stoned surfer and politician's son who lives across her street and doesn't even notice her. Pimp Tim Mais (Márcio Libar) becomes Rita's "agent" when she decides to become a prostitute to win the attention of Paulo Roberto. 10-year-old boy Waldick (Netinho Alves), who arrives alone in Copacabana from the hinterland of Minas Gerais, dreams of becoming a TV entertainer.
Alice de Andrade (daughter of Joaquim Pedro de Andrade, director of Brazilian masterpieces like "O Padre e a Moça" and "Macunaíma") directs her début feature as a tribute to Copacabana and to the tradition of the carioca comedy, especially of the 1970s sex comedies or pornochanchadas (Pedro Carlos Rovai's 1974 "Ainda Agarro Esta Vizinha..." is definitely an influence). Though it's debatable WHY anyone would WANT to pay tribute to the pornochanchada, many of its trademarks are present in "O Diabo...": the "carnivalization" of life, the double-entendre jokes, the explosive colors, the flamboyant costumes, the episodic structure, the social and sexual stereotypes, the constant sexual overtones.
"O Diabo..." suffers from the "first film" syndrome: it's overcrowded with too many characters (there are at least 7 or 8 secondary important characters with their own back stories), situations and story-lines, and the fact that there are SEVEN (!!!) writers surely adds to the messy results. Like in most pornochanchadas, EVERY character in "Diabo...", good or bad, has a heart of gold. As a result, there's no conflict at all, and we're not really rooting for anybody in particular. To wrap things up, the script solutions are inevitably far-fetched and contrived, and even though the movie never intends to be "realistic", it doesn't work on the comic urban fairy tale level either. With so many elements to juggle, it's no wonder the story lines become chopped and confusing. At the end of the day, "O Diabo..." is as good as its (few) good assets, such as veteran Pedro Farkas' fluid camera-work of the beautiful Copacabana shoreline and the fine soundtrack that includes singer/composer Lenine and the powerful percussive music by the band Pedro Luís & A Parede.
The best in the large cast are Márcio Libar's soft-hearted pimp and Zezeh Barbosa's stereotyped but nevertheless hilarious housemaid. Maria Flor (19 years old at the time of shooting) is uninhibited, lovely as can be and very sexy but we can never believe she's from the Amazon, not with that typically carioca accent and demeanor! Marcelo Faria (probably cast for being the son of Reginaldo Faria, star of icon 1960s/1970s carioca comedies) never manages to make his airhead surfer funny, sexy or charming: he's just a retarded bore. Kid Netinho Alves has accent problems (on/off) and goes from cute to maudlinly cute. Jonathan Haagensen (who played Cabeleira in "City of God") acts with his swollen pout and his perennially bare nipples (though they're fine nipples), but at least he knows how to deliver the jargon of his small-time drug dealer China. Sérgio Machado's depressive, jealous transvestite is awful: who still needs the "bathetic gay" caricature that was dead and buried 3 decades ago? Evandro Mesquita out-hams Jerry Lewis (with false teeth and all) in his over-the-top TV entertainer. Ana Beatriz Nogueira is totally wasted in the unbelievable character of the Waldick's wacky mother. Marília Gabriela and Ney Latorraca have ridiculously tiny parts as Paulo Roberto's parents.
"O Diabo a Quatro" is technically fine and never cheap, but it's also pointless, confusing, occasionally schmaltzy (those street kids!!) and rarely funny. The denouement is particularly unsatisfying, but by then we're not expecting very much. See it when you're feeling light-hearted and not too picky; at least it LOOKS better than a vintage pornochanchada.
