The Black Informant | African American Commentary, News and Community Building

My wife was at the store and the kids were outside playing. Ahhh, daddy time!

I was in the mood to watch an action flick, but not too much action. While thumbing though this month’s on demand selection on Starz, I came across the movie “City of Men“. What started as a 5 minute “let me check this out” turned into a full showing of this film. I am not a huge fan of subtitles (because like many bruthas out there, reading at the movies is not my thing). But it was the plot that captivated me.

Since I am not an expert at writing film reviews (would love to learn), I’ll just excerpt what NY Times film critic Stephen Holden had to say.

“In “City of Men,” directed by Paulo Morelli, Ace’s reluctance is more the rule than the exception. In the strutting, drug- and gun-infested culture of the favelas, young men who sire children aren’t expected to acknowledge them, and their tough, sullen wives and girlfriends have little choice but to tolerate the situation or leave. That’s just the way it is in a hyper-macho environment with virulent homophobia.

Underneath their swagger, these teenage gangsters brood about the absence of their own fathers. Ace’s best friend, Laranjinha, a k a Wallace (Darlan Cunha), who is days short of turning 18, is especially obsessed with his own paternity. As he approaches the numerical demarcation between child and adult, when he will need an identification card stating his last name, he embarks on a concerted search for his father based on neighborhood rumor.” (more…)

A man without a purpose is like a Ferrari without a steering wheel. Cranking up speed isn’t the problem–it’s just that you keep crashing and hurting others and yourself. This film explores some of the gloom and destruction many of our young boys face when they lack that connection with their fathers. One of the young men in this film must also face the decision to either be a father to his own child, or continue the legacy of father absenteeism in his own life.

The film is based in Rio de Janeiro and gives viewers just a taste of what it is like to live in the slums of that city.

The movie runs about 1 hr 50 mins and is rated R. There is no nudity in the film, but there are intercourse scenes that are blurred out. This film also contains shooting, but very little blood and no gore.

This is a good man-flick, so check it out.