Aquarius

Name: Aquarius
Genre: Drama
Released: October 14, 2016
Duration: 142 min
Rating: 88

2016

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 22 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 109 Ratings

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8.6

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8.6	User Score Universal acclaim based on 109 Ratings

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Aquarius (US)

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Movie Details & Credits

Vitagraph Films | Release Date: October 14, 2016 | Not Rated

Summary: Clara (Sonia Braga), a 65 year old widow and retired music critic, was born into a wealthy and traditional family in Recife, Brazil. She is the last resident of the Aquarius, an original two-story building, built in the 1940s, in the upper-class, seaside Avenida Boa Viagem, Recife. All the neighboring apartments have already been acquiredClara (Sonia Braga), a 65 year old widow and retired music critic, was born into a wealthy and traditional family in Recife, Brazil. She is the last resident of the Aquarius, an original two-story building, built in the 1940s, in the upper-class, seaside Avenida Boa Viagem, Recife. All the neighboring apartments have already been acquired by a company which has other plans for that plot. Clara has pledged to only leave her place upon her death, and will engage in a cold war of sorts with the company. This tension both disturbs Clara and gives her that edge on her daily routine. It also gets her thinking about her loved ones, her past and her future.… Expand

Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 142 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Simon Kinnear

Apr 9, 2017

A timely, inspiring parable of protest, directed with sinewy style and driven by Braga’s rock-solid lead performance. Read full review

100

The Telegraph Robbie Collin

May 20, 2016

Braga has been presented with an uncommonly dense and multi-faceted role here, and she plunges into it with a kind of glossy-maned, leonine majesty, investing the character with a hard-won dignity that often has you stifling a cheer, but also exploring her flaws in gripping fashion. Read full review

100

Michael Nordine

Oct 13, 2016

Brazil might not want you to know it, but Aquarius is something special. Read full review

IndieWire Eric Kohn

May 20, 2016

Though Braga's performance sometimes outshines Mendonça's leisurely two-and-a-half hour narrative, in its better moments the two work in marvelous harmony. Read full review

Mike D'Angelo

Oct 12, 2016

So it’s marvelous to see Braga setting the big screen ablaze — speaking her native language, for once — in Aquarius, a Brazilian drama constructed entirely around her. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

May 20, 2016

It’s a richly detailed character study, immersing the audience in the life and mind of its imperious main character. Read full review

Michael Phillips

Oct 20, 2016

Braga isn't quite the whole show in Aquarius, but she's certainly a lot of it. Read full review

SEE ALL 22 REVIEWS

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User Reviews

MARCIOTRE

Oct 14, 2016

An experience! Nothing in this movie must be forgotten: narrative, soundtrack and, of course, Sonia Braga. It is my best movie this year. So far. WOW!!

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

lucianosantoro

Jul 2, 2020

um dos melhores filmes nacionais, deveria ser obrigatório! sonia braga mais uma vez incrível

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Paulo_Jorge

Nov 5, 2016

Another masterpiece from Mendonça, such a great director. With this one, Sonia Braga gives her best, an outstanding performance in any standards. Mendonça has his original style of enriching any character, showing her personal life, her family, her fears and her desires, a build up that addsAnother masterpiece from Mendonça, such a great director. With this one, Sonia Braga gives her best, an outstanding performance in any standards. Mendonça has his original style of enriching any character, showing her personal life, her family, her fears and her desires, a build up that adds to the spectacular finish of this piece. I'm really happy to see Brazil's cinema showing up again with some great potential and some great work, well done Mendonça.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

VGabriel

Aug 7, 2017

Aquarius é um daqueles filmes que levam a pensar sobre o presente. Sonia Braga é esplêndida. Não há trilha sonora original, porém é exatamente esse o foco do filme, se abraçar na MPB brasileira e descrever as cenas com riquíssimos detalhes. É um filme inesquecível.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Andremax

Jul 10, 2018

Perhaps one of the best brazilian movies of all time. The direction, the actors, the art, all in this movie is amazing. Sometimes it makes us think that's not a brazilian movie. Incrível.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

alexdamaceno

Oct 17, 2016

Here in Brazil we're used to separate "movies" from "Brazilian movies" - because of our ongoing struggle with low quality productions and all its cliches. In most cases, the comedies are often silly and an extension of our unfunny TV productions. And dramas usually portrays either violenceHere in Brazil we're used to separate "movies" from "Brazilian movies" - because of our ongoing struggle with low quality productions and all its cliches. In most cases, the comedies are often silly and an extension of our unfunny TV productions. And dramas usually portrays either violence at the favelas or some sad, also violent story, taking place at a very poor part of our northeast area.

"Aquarius" throws away all these cliches and it's just a great movie, period. Not a great Brazilian movie, but a great universal movie, telling a very compelling story about our society as a whole, with all its characteristics and, mostly, its flaws. And in its core it's a story about how part of our elite usually behaves and how the other part (who doesn't care about being elite) reacts.… Expand

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

GreatMartin

Nov 4, 2016

"Aquarius" is a slow moving 2 hour and 22 minute movie that would have been a very interesting hour and 45 minute movie. Director, and screenplay writer, Kleber Mendonca Filho puts in too many unnecessary scenes that add nothing to the film or plot except to tell us more than we need to know"Aquarius" is a slow moving 2 hour and 22 minute movie that would have been a very interesting hour and 45 minute movie. Director, and screenplay writer, Kleber Mendonca Filho puts in too many unnecessary scenes that add nothing to the film or plot except to tell us more than we need to know about Clara, who is at the center of the film. There is a scene at a cemetery, another of Clara's grandbaby running around nude and still another of a couple having sex on a beach not to forget an explicit orgy scene.

The story is basically of Clara who is the last tenet who owns an apartment in a building that a developer wants to tear down and make a tower of condos. She is comfortable with her life and has no desire to sell, move, uproot the life she has. We learn about Clara's daily life whether going for a swim every morning at the beach across the street, her battle with cancer that has left her scarred, he daughter recently divorced, one son who is gay and another son who is the father of her favorite grandson, having a night out with girlfriends, a possible romantic encounter that doesn't work out, a 'escort' that does plus her work as a music journalist writing books along with relatives and friends from the past and present. At the same time there is the story of the developer and his grandson trying at first to buy her out and then taking other methods.

Along the way there are discussions about how skin color affects lives in Brazil, where the picture takes place, as society gets into business and education can make a man's grandson think he the smartest one of making decisions to move things along. There are the children who who think the mother is making a selfish decision in not selling the house and her housekeeper/friend who lost her son a year before. And folks we haven't even touched upon the lifeguard, the church group and things going on inside and out side the building and Clara's apartment.

What makes "Aquaruis" special, a film to watch, is the performance by Sonia Braga who lets you know everything about the woman by the way she walks, talks, treats others, dresses, laughs, deals with problems, listens to music and shows love to family, friends and life. Braga defines the camera falling in love with a face.

Watching "Aquarius" I wished there was a fast forward button if for no other reason than to get past the cemetery scene and the three others mentioned in the first paragraph.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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