Having lived in
South America for quite a few years in the mid-90s, I had a rough idea of what
favelas look like, but was lucky to have only seen them from afar. I never saw
violence remotely resembling what is depicted in the film, but I have seen
levels of poverty that make me grateful to live anywhere in Canada. If you
think your city is bad because it’s too small or polluted, then be grateful it
is not overrun by teenagers armed with automatic weapons and a corrupt police
force that is only concerned with keeping its public image intact. I was
reminded of all this upon viewing City of
God in 2006 while doing my university studies in Sherbrooke, a city that must
truly look like paradise for many of the characters in the film.
Set in the City
of God suburb and spread from the 1960s to the early 1980s, the story follows
several characters as they either try to stay alive, or try to kill lots of
people for control of a few city blocks. The messed up part is just about all
of these characters are either teenagers or very young children, hence when
they get their hands on guns they use them as if they were toys. You would not
think a little kid with a nickname like Li’l Dice (Douglas Silva) could be a
monster, but during a heist where he is supposed to be just the lookout he
decides to go inside and gun down everyone with a big smile on his face.
Once he gets past
puberty he decides to rename himself Li’l Zé (Leandro Firmino da Hora) and
establishes a drug empire by killing anyone who gets in his way. A professional
gangster would focus on making money with a minimum amount of violence in order
to avoid getting attention from cops or the press. Or, you know, because
killing people is a bad thing. But since no one ever told Zé or anyone living
in the favelas these things he doesn’t care who he shoots or rapes in his war
against a rival drug kingpin and takes a great deal of pleasure in the
violence.
As the years go
by there is so much chaos and disorder no one remembers why the gang war
started in the first place. All they care about is winning even if that means
enlisting young kids nicknamed “The Runts” into their ranks. Of course there
are a few people who want to either leave town or get a normal job, or as close
to normal as it gets in that world. Rocket (Alexandre Rogrigue), who serves as
the film’s narrator and observer, has a knack for photography, which could lead
to a brighter future at a newspaper. Given how the violence is escalating he
might be the only one able to get photos inside the City of God, which at this
point would be the equivalent of being a war photographer.
The use of mostly
non-professional actors, many of whom actually came from that world, adds an
unsettling realism to the movie. There are no flashy explosions, no fancy
editing for added excitement, or big-screen movie stars hogging the spotlight.
This is just an unfiltered look at the griminess that lies beneath the postcard
image of Brazil, and makes you wonder, is anyone doing anything to improve the
situation? Also, if this is the City of God, what does the Devil’s City look
like?
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