"Brazilian"

2002 · Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund · 130 min · Crime / Drama

City of God is one of those rare films that changes what you think cinema can do. It takes a subject that could easily become exploitative or numbing and turns it into something electric, deeply human, and impossible to look away from. The non-professional cast performs with a rawness that trained actors rarely achieve. A small number of viewers feel the relentless pace leaves too little room for emotional breathing, but the overwhelming response is awe. More than two decades later, it still hits like nothing else.