Gutsycurene
Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.
AshUnow
This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Rosie Searle
It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
mcarman-83803
Que horas ela volta? makes my list of the top five films I've seen in 2017. It is a wonderfully crafted film which explores the intricacies of classism and sexism through the lens of a very likable and extremely caring protagonist. Val, a live-in maid nanny for a very rich family of three in São Paulo, leads a very routine life, cleaning, cooking and caring for her employer's son. Unfortunately, in order to do this and make a living she had to leave her daughter in the care of her friends and relatives back home in the North. Years go by without seeing Jéssica, and eventually a falling out occurs—even communication via telephone has ceased. Then, out of the blue, Val receives a call from Jéssica; she's coming to São Paulo in order to take placement exams to enter into one of the most elite universities in the country. Val is excited and prepares her a space in her room, with a new mattress bought by Dona Barbara, the mistress of the home. Unfortunately, everything doesn't go as Val plans. Chaos rules the day as the independent Jéssica clashes with social norms and the inherent inequality of her mother's position in the world.The story-line of this film was not the only aspect of it which I enjoyed. Overall the acting, the political commentary, the cinematography and the emotional clarity of the movie drew me in. As a person from a place with very strict class distinctions and social rules to regulate interactions between classes, I found both Val's worries and Jéssica's hatred of the inequality she saw to be believable and relatable. If I were to pick any movie to show someone to introduce them to Latin American cinema, I would use this movie. It is a testament to the cinematographic abilities of Brazil and of its director Anna Muylaert.
dion-perry
This movie is based around a live-in servant Val and the three people she serves: the father, his daughter and her son. Despite living in the same house as her three masters, Val is very subservient and looked down upon. She does not swim in her master's pool, does not eat at the same table as them, nor does she eat the same food. Val's life is turned upside down when her daughter Jessica comes to stay in order to sit the university entrance exams; a university that is only for the elite. Despite her mother's insistence and pleading, Jessica refuses to conform to the role of servant's daughter with interesting consequences that are not stereotypical.The second mother is beautifully done. The acting is superb. The story is told elegantly showing not just the injustice of class, but presenting it for the ugly beast it is. What I particularly liked about it was that Jessica's role was not overdone and stereotyped. The character was not deliberately being antagonistic, she was simply being herself and that meant refusing to conform to class social norms. If you get the chance to see this film I urge you to do so.
Reno Rangan
Have I really watched a South American movie! This is not a doubt over the culture or the language the movie was rendered, but the basic plot was universally appealing. Wherever from you are, this story will look very familiar, you know the master-servant theme with jealous, dominance and other differences between them which intrigued after some unexpected incident. Don't assume it is a revenge flick, but a closer look at the daily life of a servant.It is a beautiful drama filled with some occasional dark humours. Frankly, I did not expect it to be this good after I heard it failed to make into the Academy Awards. Yep, this was Brasil's submission for the 2016's Oscars. A story of a live-in housemaid called Val. She opted this life to be apart from her daughter Jessica only to provide a better life for her. But things change, once Jessica decides to come and stay with her mother to apply for a college in Sao Paulo. That brings a complete chaos in the household due to the generation and the professional gap.It was a casual opening, like Val was doing her daily routine. This was a very calm part, the story that introduced everything without complicating, especially keeping in mind the second half narration. The movie also digs every detail very closely, like how a maid behaves when her owner is not around, individual relationship with everyone in the house including the other maids and their personal desires."She looks at everything. Looks like the president."Believe me, if you ever had one, probably you begin to think them now by remembering any strange incidents from the past like what might be the truth. It is not like accusing them for something, but you know, sometimes we forget we're the same other than a thin line between us called the social status. That's where this film hits you hard and makes you feel regret if you have ever done anything wrong without knowing.It was not like any other similar movies I have seen. There was only a small deviation, that's what it makes a special. Also, it was not completely a realistic boring drama if you're wondering about the pace. It was a steady tempo, but had the sufficient entertaining content, often makes us to guess the next scene and besides it had a tiny twist at the end. It was not a strong ending as one could have wanted, but it's the best one after the story took a turn in the final act.I don't know the cast or the crew, but the direction was top notch alongside the cast performances. Thankfully, it was not another sentimental drama with a struggling servant or the questionable relationship between a mother and her daughter. Very much within our perception like you know all this, but seeing it for the first time. The balance between everything was the best of it. Almost 80% of the movie were shot in a single location/house and a few outside clips as the story demanded.The Oscars might have rejected it, because there's only five slot and they found better five to fill the spot, but that should not be the reason you to skip this heartwarming movie from the country that hosting the next Olympic games. I feel this film is this year's 'Ida', unlike a nun's self-discovery before taking oath to the god, here a maid realises her mistakes and not being a good mother to her daughter which leads her to fix it by not repeating it. A movie that should be watched with the family, inviting housekeeper for the watch might help bond well. So definitely recommended, a highly recommended movie for the weekend gathering.8/10
Tom Dooley
This is billed as a comedy and stars Regina Casé as the maid to a rich family in Sao Paulo. She has raised the families' son and takes care of everything for them from walking the dog, making the meals to trimming the hedge. Then her estranged daughter asks to come and stay and she is overjoyed having been separated for ten years.However, her daughter is a modern free thinker and just does not get the social divide that separates her and her mother from these rich folk and the inevitable clashes start from the get go.Now as a film on social commentary this is all straight forward and we don't really need to be told that money buys privilege. Whilst as a character piece it works a lot better with the various players establishing where they sit in the hierarchy of life and how that will affect those around them. It is a gentle film, not really a comedy, and will not tax you too much. Its original Portuguese title is "Que Horas Ela Volta?". Some have hailed this as a master piece and others have said it is pointless in that it brings nothing new. I found it to be enjoyable but not one I would rush out and buy – I rented this – but it's one that passes the time very agreeably and is far from being the land mark some have hailed it to be but is also far from being a lamentable waste of time.
