Rio finally opened in the US this past weekend, and it was really a delight to watch. The main complaints I'd heard, between reviews and feedback from friends and viewers, is that the story was clichéd and that it wasn't Pixar. That's true, and it the plot did seem to skim along the surface, not delving very deep into any issues. Then again, it is a children's movie, and in its main aim, entertaining, it is highly successful.
There are a few things that stood out for me. The first is that it really is the first animated feature aimed at mainstream international audiences about Brazil since Zé Carioca, and brings a vision of Rio to the world that may seem stereotypical, but managed to strike a balance between Brazilian culture and a bit of a harsher reality (animal trafficking, favelas, street kids). It really is a boon for Brazilian tourism, and for some, is certainly a much more welcome perspective than popular movies in recent years that highlighted violence and poverty. So maybe a new generation of children (or even some adults) will continue to associate Brazil with Rio, soccer, samba, and carnival. But in the case of Americans, who know so little about Brazil at all, at least it will provide a little perspective. The impact of popular movies about other countries can really be surprising.
The second is that there was a surprising amount of Portuguese. Though the movie was created with a global audience in mind, it was American made and funded, and though it's a nation of immigrants and hundreds of languages, a large percentage of Americans are decidedly anti-foreign languages (or at the very least, monolingual). So I was pleasantly surprised to see Portuguese both written, spoken, and sung throughout the movie.
[Spoiler alert ahead]
The third thing is that although the movie was incredibly enjoyable, with fun music and gorgeous cinematography, it is all the more enjoyable if you've ever traveled to or lived in Rio. (Plus, of my Brazilian expat friends who've seen the movie, particularly Cariocas, all of them have really loved the movie.) You can really appreciate the spectacular landscapes, the scenes of the different neighborhoods, and the typical tourist sites. And if you've lived in Rio or even spent some time traveling around the city, it's even more satisfying; chances are you've experienced many things that happen in the movie.
It wasn't until after that I realized just how much of the story I could appreciate, beyond the obvious requisite visits to Cristo, the Sugarloaf, Vista Chinesa, Jardim Botânico, and the Floresta da Tijuca. I've gone hang gliding in São Conrado, gone to blocos in Ipanema, seen the Carnival parade in the Sambodrome and even danced in the children's parade, taken the bonde up to Santa Teresa (plus, I think the entrance to the "repair shop" in the movie was based on Largo dos Guimarães, where I spent most of my time), befriended a menino de rua, rode a motorcycle up the alleys of Rocinha, and obviously, fell in love with a Brazilian man and moved to Rio. Chances are, if you're from Rio or lived in Rio, you can relate to the movie much more, and it makes it much more endearing.
But it was even the little details that I loved. I'm pretty sure I've actually speculated out loud how many fire code violations were being broken in some Lapa clubs, and I love those "don't feed the monkey signs" on the Sugarloaf because everyone does just the opposite. After a few samba school visits, some of those samba enredos did start to sound pretty similar. But I think my favorite moment was when the samba school director, voiced by Sergio Mendes, is shouting at Linda, who is on top of a float. "REBOLA!!" he yells, though she doesn't understand. He wants her to dance, but the underlying message is for her to loosen up and to live a little. There's a lot to learn from living in Rio, but one of the things I'm happiest to have learned is how to deal with stress in a healthier way and to sometimes, just let things work themselves out. It's something I have to constantly remind myself, especially being back in New York, so that snippet of the scene has really stuck with me.
Dear Rachel,
Take a look at this blob: http://cora.blogspot.com/
You'll find some insteresting opinions about movies showing Brazil.
Posted by: Jose Afonso Queiroz | April 21, 2011 at 02:47 PM