JinRoz
For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!
Curapedi
I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.
InformationRap
This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.
Derrick Gibbons
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
choalhee88
Simply beautiful. Great landscape of Rio. Each shot has more than tv commercial quality. Very rich and crispy images. Must see if you like to feel Latin. This is comedy. This is drama. Pedro Paulo, the lawyer takes his father's divorce case and fall in love with his English teacher Mary Ann. Shows escape from marriage through two generations. Isn't it fun or what.
ruthgee
We watched this movie the other evening and found it to be a delight. Nothing deep, but a lot of fun. The music is good and one wants to dance. The scenery, beautiful and the actors most attractive. This affords one a pleasant evening.
p-funk-2
well, 2000 was a banner year for crappy Brazilian exports. Bruno Barreto and Caca Diegues both scored big with this film and the equally bad "Orfeu." Going against the tradition that has been set by most Brazilian artists, Barreto manages to make a work with no ideological or aesthetic backbone, a simple minded piece of junk which tries and fails miserably to handle love in the same way the Bossa Nova musicians did. He considers this film an homage to Jobim and Truffaut, and you're better off skipping the middle-man and going straight for Jobim's music and Truffaut's films.This film should be an embarassment to Brazilians, considering the way he portrays our country, and the lack of ambition that permeates the film. Even compared to Central Station, which was good but not great, the weakness of this film becomes apparent. If you want to see a horribly idealised version of Brazil, or a film that consists of Brazilians trying to do the Hollywood thing in portuguese, go see this. Personally, I'm glad I got to see "Chronically Unfeasible," a far better film which restored my hopes that there is something good left in Brazilian cinema.
Ruby Liang (ruby_fff)
Right off the bat we see on the first frame that the film is dedicated to Antonio Carlos Jobim and Francois Truffaut. An easy-flowing piece with samba music accompanying the main course, it's simply wonderful and effortless to consume. The story and parallel plots may be predictable, but that did not get in the way of enjoying this movie. It's definitely entertaining: drama, romance, the ups and downs of man-woman relationships -- even included a cyberspace courtship, along with the mistaken identity and comedy of errors, the audience can swing along with Jobim tunes, hum along and cruise along on this ride with Amy Irving leading as Mary Ann, directed by husband Bruno Barreto ("Dona Flor and her two husbands" 1978). The supporting Brazilian cast is just as colorful: Brazil's leading man Antonio Fagundes as Pedro the admirer, Debra Bloch as the wife, Giovanna Antonelli as Sharon the youthful assistant, Alexandre Borges as Acacio the soccer star, Drica Moraes as Nadine and U.S.'s Stephen Tobolowsky ("Groundhog Day" 1993 opposite Bill Murray). At times almost feels like a dash of Almodovar sentiments sprinkled for spice. If you want a "filmic" vacation and have a relaxing romp, go see BOSSA NOVA -- even the credit roll is with bright colored swish and swashes animated to the music tempo scored by Eumir Deodato.
