City of Men

Name: City of Men
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: February 29, 2008
Duration: 106 min
Rating: 63
Cast: Darlan Cunha, Douglas Silva, Jonathan Haagensen

2008

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Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Ratings

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City Of Men

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Movie Details & Credits

Miramax Films | Release Date: February 29, 2008 | R

Starring: Darlan Cunha, Douglas Silva, Jonathan Haagensen

Summary: Growing up in a culture dictated by violence, as well as street gangs, teenagers Acerola and Laranjinha have become close as brothers. With their 18th birthdays fast approaching, Laranjinha sets out to find the father he never met, while Acerola struggles to raise his own young son. But when they suddenly find themselves on opposite sidesGrowing up in a culture dictated by violence, as well as street gangs, teenagers Acerola and Laranjinha have become close as brothers. With their 18th birthdays fast approaching, Laranjinha sets out to find the father he never met, while Acerola struggles to raise his own young son. But when they suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of a gang war, the lifelong friends are forced to confront a shocking secret from their shared past. (Miramax)… Expand

Director: Paulo Morelli

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 106 min

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Critic Reviews

Steven Rea

In many ways, City of Men is like a Portuguese-language version of David Simon's "The Wire." Read full review

Claudia Puig

A poignant look at the legacies of fathers who abdicate their responsibilities. Read full review

Michael Phillips

Director Morelli and editor Daniel Rezende know how to set up complex lines of action and keep the screws tight. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

As heavy with message as any Hollywood delinquent drama of the late '50s. Read full review

Rick Groen

A mix of credible sociology and tired melodrama, along with a palpable sense of déjà vu. Because the plight of boyz 'n' the hood is a global tragedy, its depiction on the screen has become a global commonplace with its own attendant danger – the tragedy is starting to feel trite. Read full review

David Edelstein

City of Men is clunky and often contrived, but there’s something haunting about fatherless boys in a blighted place fumbling to teach themselves what it means to be a man. Read full review

Wesley Morris

The movie has a dramatic thinness, breezy tone, and unconvincing happy-ish ending that make it feel more inconsequential than anything about killers and imperiled children probably should. Read full review

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User Reviews

johnslegers

Jan 3, 2016

"Citade de Deus" ("City of God") was a Brazilian masterpiece telling the story about the gang wars in the Brazilian favelas (slums) during the '70s from the perspective of a boy who wants to become a journalist. Based on a true story, it gives you a quite realistic impression of what it was"Citade de Deus" ("City of God") was a Brazilian masterpiece telling the story about the gang wars in the Brazilian favelas (slums) during the '70s from the perspective of a boy who wants to become a journalist. Based on a true story, it gives you a quite realistic impression of what it was like to live back then in one of the most dangerous places on earth.

After the success of "Citade de Deus", Kátia Lund and Fernando Meirelles, (the directors) created a series called "Cidade dos Homens" ("City of God") based on the same concept taking place in the present which in 2007 was turned into another feature length film with the same title.

As I haven't seen the series I cannot judge it, but the film "Cidade dos Homens" was not nearly as good as the first. Telling the story of two friends growing up in the Rio favelas, the film starts out real slow and never manages to become nearly as compelling as "Citade de Deus" was. Certainly, the fighting between the two rivaling gangs is exciting to watch but this only but a small part of the film and the rest of it consists of little more than the two friends trying to survive and maintain their friendship. There is little depth in any of the other characters and this makes the film fairly pointless to watch for anyone who's already seen "Citade de Deus". While not a bad film by any standards, but it's by no means better than mediocre either. I expected more from the people who brought us "Citade de Deus". Was this a cheap attempt to get some easy money?!?… Expand

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