Favelas

When I saw the trailer of this movie it did not appeal to me. The movie seemed like a common Hollywood action movie, but after seeing it I know that this movie has a lot to offer. The story begins when Raphael (at the age of 14) finds a wallet in the garbage and shows it to his two friends. Once the boys find out how much the wallet is wanted by the police they decide to unravel the mystery behind it, using clues from the wallet. What follows is a fascinating journey full of action, humor and drama through the slums of Rio de Janeiro. You see the raw side of the city, it feels like you are there. Also the music puts you in the right vibe. The solidarity, perseverance and the struggle to achieve justice, gives you a real connection with the three boys. Slowly all the pieces fit together while it builds up to a thrilling end. This movie seems to have a clear message to give. It makes you think about justice and well-being, but at the same time it is an easy watching feel good movie. This movie has it all!

Greetings from Lithuania.

"Trash" (2014) is definitely not an Oscar material, contrary to previous movies directed by a great director Stephen Daldry. This is adventure, thriller (with a bit comedy) set in Rio about a group of slum dog kids who one day searching a trash stumbles upon something that can change the path of a whole country. Soon they are on a run from those who want to get thing back while trying to solve a puzzle of what did they found.

"Trash" is a solid fun, not particularly great, but it will definitely do justice for one evening. The settings are fresh and kinda exciting, three young leads are good here, with some minor support from two Hollywood heavyweights.

Overall, this picture isn't anything really special, but it's a fine film. Music, settings, directing and acting are good, while at the running time almost 2 hours this movie drags a bit here and there, but overall experience is positive.

With a title like Trash, it is hard not to expect things like garbage piles and generic black plastic bags to appear on screen. One might even think, why would anyone watch a film named Trash? After all, Hollywood films can be trashy and a title like Trash does seem like a boding sign. Yet do not be fooled, all you title-judging mother****ers, Trash is absolutely nothing like its namesake.

Directed by Stephen Daldry, Trash is a story about Raphael (Rickson Tev) and his chance discovery of a wallet belonging to José Angelo (Wagner Moura). Together with friends Gador (Eduardo Luis) and Rato (Gabriel Weinstein), Raphael embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the truth behind the wallet, unwittingly becoming victims to corrupted politician Santos and policeman Frederico (Selton Mello). Adapted from Andy Mulligan's young adult fiction novel, Trash has a story that seems almost like a fairytale - it is only in the lala-land of literature that fourteen-year-old trash-pickers can succeed in exposing the corrupted ways of political figures without getting themselves killed. That being said, the film succeeds in translating this highly unlikely situation from book to screen without making it seem too contrived.

There are many things to look out for in Trash, like the superb editing and the wonderful cinematography by Adriano Goldman. From the mountains of trash piles to the grimy stilt houses, Goldman did a great job of capturing the decrepit beauty of these common wastelands. Chase scenes in particular, were edited well with great rhythm. Daldry's use of the boys' to-camera inserts would also be greatly appreciated by viewers who have read the novel. Seen through the to- camera inserts, the boys' frank statements better developed their characters, reflected the novel's multi-perspectives and doubled as a plot device later on in the film.

Although Tev, Luis and Weinstein can be rough around the edges with emotional scenes, their energy was infectious on screen. On the other hand, Rooney Mara and Martin Sheen paled in comparison, appearing more like decorative non-playable characters beside the boys. While Moura performed within expectation, the same cannot be said of Mello, who played the role of Frederico like an emotionless corpse. In fact, if you stare hard at the screen, you will soon come to the conclusion that even a dead grouper has eyes livelier than Mello's.

Acting aside, the only problem this reviewer has with Trash is Raphael's dogged pursuit for justice. When questioned about his actions, Raphael answered that he was doing so because "it is the right thing". In spite of that, it was the money left behind by José, and not the book accounting for Santos' corrupted dealings, that seemed to interest the boys. In this sense, the pursuit for justice seems more like an adventure for Raphael and his friends, rather than an act motivated by the decision to right a wrong. Then again, perhaps that was what made Trash so charming. In a world filled with dark, cynical views, the boys are a representation of what hope, perseverance and friendship can bring about.

A brilliantly exciting film from start to finish. The three boys are a triumph, and the way the film handles them, and uses their emotional closeness, their friendship, is a credit to Director Stephen Daldry and his crew, as well as to the three boys themselves, recruited from the streets of Brazil. The story jumps from one level of excitement to the next in a series of clever set pieces that, at the same time as they increase the tension to almost unbearable levels, answer the questions raised by the mystery; what exactly is the significance of what the boys find, as they comb through the giant mountains of trash, trying to earn enough to eat from recycling plastic and tin? The chase scenes through the favelas are exhilarating. Literally, you find yourself talking out loud. The film is a celebration of Andy Mulligan's stunning novel of the same name.

I never thought that garbage can be so beautiful. Indeed, in this film it is. Stephen Daldry successful squeezes an incredible set design, visualization is absolutely fantastic. From the favelas of Brazil, to the beautiful landscapes, it all looks just stunning. The thing I like is also editing, the sequences are fast and dynamic and it is just right on. If we look at the movie more closely, we can see a close relationship between the boys, playfulness of the youth, hope in a brutal world. It is dominated by the playful dynamics among them, how they learn about the world through adolescence. Although the government is corrupt, and the police puts misery and poverty beneath the low, there is hope and the will to live. Mara and Sheen are acting as missionaries who help these children, living from the garbage, to a better future. Not bad acting, but the characters... Sheen as a priest, Mara as a assistant, it seems somewhat they are missing all the action. The best I can describe, sometimes I had the feeling watching them behind a bottle of glass. I must mention the script and story is short in depth and is weary predictable, not to mention the contradictory. But nonetheless it is a well made move, worth watching, and I give it a go.