Most Brazilian films that reach these
shores tend to deal with the favelas and the criminal gangs that operate
there but "Neighbouring Sounds; is somewhat different in that it deals
with the lives of those living in an affluent apartment block for whom
money and crime shouldn't be a problem yet even in this neighbourhood
it's hard to get away from the slums that are practically on their
doorstep. It's as if the very fact of having money is as psychologically
damaging as not; crime is never that far away which is why Clodoaldo is
offering to provide round the clock security, at least during
the night.
Kleber Mendonca Filho's film, (it's his first feature
and he also wrote it), may be thin on plot but it's rich in both
atmosphere and detail. There's a documentary-like feel to the way be
observes the inhabitants of this affluent area which means the
performances of a cast totally unknown to me, are utterly naturalistic,
though the apparent lack of connection between the films various strands
also means it tends to meander and its commercial appeal is zero
despite the occasional sex scene, (including masturbation by washing
machine). Ultimately what this boils down to is a very confident debut,
skilfully developed but unlikely to engage you on any emotional level.
Most Brazilian films that reach these
shores tend to deal with the favelas and the criminal gangs that operate
there but "Neighbouring Sounds; is somewhat different in that it deals
with the lives of those living in an affluent apartment block for whom
money and crime shouldn't be a problem yet even in this neighbourhood
it's hard to get away from the slums that are practically on their
doorstep. It's as if the very fact of having money is as psychologically
damaging as not; crime is never that far away which is why Clodoaldo is
offering to provide round the clock security, at least during
the night.
Kleber Mendonca Filho's film, (it's his first feature
and he also wrote it), may be thin on plot but it's rich in both
atmosphere and detail. There's a documentary-like feel to the way be
observes the inhabitants of this affluent area which means the
performances of a cast totally unknown to me, are utterly naturalistic,
though the apparent lack of connection between the films various strands
also means it tends to meander and its commercial appeal is zero
despite the occasional sex scene, (including masturbation by washing
machine). Ultimately what this boils down to is a very confident debut,
skilfully developed but unlikely to engage you on any emotional level.
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