SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

ActuallyGlimmer The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Ricardo Daly The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

km004a5534 This movie narrates the true story of the rags-to-riches climb of Zezé di Camargo and Luciano. Though it was not so much a straightforward climb as a roller-coaster ride and it probably would never have happened had it not been for the single-minded determination of their father. Indeed, it is as much his story and that of their brother Emival as it is theirs.Whilst I do not know what really happened, it would appear that the movie tells the story simply and without over-elaboration. All of this, against the contrasting backdrop of the beautiful scenery, electric atmosphere and depressing slums of Brazil and the intoxicating beauty of the music, make for a very pleasant movie experience. But it is the performances of Dablio Moreira and Marcos Henrique, as Young Mirosmar/Zezé Di Camargo and his brother Emival that elevate the film to a different level. Though I somehow doubt it, I hope that these two talented young performers gained the accolades and financial rewards that their outstanding performances merited. What I do know is that, in the Young Artists Awards (2006), Dablio and Marcos jointly won the award for Best Performance in an International Feature Film - Leading Young Performer, in the face of very stiff competition.Having watched the DVD several times, I purchased a CD of the "movie soundtrack," but I was hugely disappointed! There is absolutely nothing of Dablio Moreira and Marcos Henrique to be heard and I must admit that I was far more moved by their rendition of the music than that of Zezé di Camargo and Luciano. I am nothing short of amazed that there has still been no International release of a DVD. It's a beautiful movie and anyone believing that it would have no appeal outside of its native Brazil must be crazy!

Daniel Poeira Any Brazilian who manage to get past the gigantic wall that divides the two world of Brazil - the real world and the shopping mall world - would have the opportunity to see a very nice piece of movie making. The story is extremely complex and long, and even so director Breno Silveira manages to tell it in a very clear way, with lots of details and beautiful interpretations and cinematography.One of the main points that made people overlook the movie was that they focused too much on Zezé di Camargo and Luciano. The movie is not about them, but their father, a very poor and illiterate man who simply decided that his sons would have a better life than his. Francisco's stubbornness is amazing, and his unbeatable faith should be more imitated than laughed at.An excellent movie for all ages, very entertaining and moving, and a lovely soundtrack, built mostly with old classics of Brazilian country music.

corinar This could have been your typical poor boys work hard and become famous type story, fortunately it was so much more. It was about wanting, and fearing, and being obsessed, and being hurt, and taking risks, and finally the eternal theme of father and sons. A father in love with music, with fierce innocent childlike eyes and children who fell in love with their father's dream with innocent adult all knowing eyes. It was about the hardship of poverty, but it was about it's happiness as well. It was about a crazy man, with a crazy dream who could have gone wrong ... and half way did, but also didn't! I was surprised by the minimalist acting, so much was said with the eyes, and it was in the eyes that parents and children communicated their fears, desires, wants, madness, hurt feelings. Big brown crazy childlike eyes. The children were off course, very cute as kids can be, but the adult actors were very much there, and it's to their capacity that does big brown boy eyes not only didn't make them fade away, but played into the more universal theme of the movie! Francisco, the father, is an incredible presence (and what an incredible good actor has portrayed him). That this movie was named after him and not his successful sons is to the credit of an honesty not easy to find in the biopic world. It is in part what made this movie much so much more!

news-87 I've heard a lot about this movie. It's good as cinema, with a beautiful photography, good art direction and fair script and rhythm. There are funny and sad moments. But I can't see this movie as a Oscar-winner, or even as representative of a great Brazilian production. It's great for the fans of the singers; I can imagine them crying all the time... I'm sorry, but it doesn't go farther than a good soap opera, or an Indian Bollywood hit.Any Brazilian movie with good budget is pointed as a Oscar-winner. It happens every year. Come on, let's face it: this movie is good, but not good enough.