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Movie:		7.0
Picture:		8.0
Sound:		6.0
Extras:		5.0
Score:		7.0

Director(s):	Chico Teixeira
Writer(s):	Chico Tiexeira
Starring:	Carla Ribas • Dona Jacira • Felipe Massuia • Ricardo Vilaco • Vinicius Zinn • Ze Carlos Machado
Genre:	Drama
Release Date:	June 23, 2009

List Price:	DVD - $24.95
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While domestic dissatisfaction has long been a staple of European film (notably British) the stylistic explosion of Brazilian cinema has left a distinct impression that the Latin American nation is all about fighting and favelas, seemingly ignoring the large urban centers where people live out their lives in relative normalcy. Taking us inside the titular Sao Paulo dwelling, helmer Chico Tiexeira drifts amidst a humid air of simmering resentment, raging hormones and boorish male entitlement that illustrates how it can indeed be grim down south, too.

Mother to three lay-about teenage boys and neglected wife to a skirt-chasing hubby, Alice (Carla Ribas) is a portrait of ruined passion and quiet melancholy. Toiling as a manicurist at a local beauty parlor, her day is typically spent buffing the feet of women like stuck-up regular Carmen (Renata Zhaneta) who delights in embellishing every detail of an infinitely more interesting romantic life.

At home her lazy brood bicker and skulk about the apartment looking for things to steal. Eldest boy Lucas (Vincius Zinn) is a bullying army brat, middle son Edinho (Ricardo Vilaca) is secretly turning tricks for pocket money, and youngest boy Junior (Felipe Massuia) is in the process of negotiating his first under-the-bra tumble with his girlfriend. Callous husband Lindomar (Ze Carlos Machado) drives a cab by day and by night indulges his hobby of bedding impressionable young girls, the latest of which is so naïve as to drop by Alice's to ask her advice about dating older men. As the quiet center of dignified disapproval, Alice’s live-in-mother thanklessly picks up after the men, cooking and cleaning, observing all and saying nothing.

What becomes swiftly evident is that while this neighborhood is a world away from the abject poverty of the favela’s for which Brazil has become known, means here are still sufficiently limited that sport f--king your neighbor's daughter, or your friend's husband, is largely the recreational activity of choice. With her husband playing away and her latest attempt to ignite his fire (a Brazilian wax ironically) meeting a damp reception, Alice yearns for fulfillment, recounting the morning’s crowded bus ride where her and a stranger's groin momentarily pressed together.

Director Chico Tiexeira has a strong background in documentary filmmaking and his technique lends the story a wonderful sense of humdrum authenticity. Packing us in amongst the family like sardines he shoots in relentless confinement with the camera tripping over the characters who are similarly tripping over each other; where the gifted rarity of having your own frame is to breathe for a blissful moments peace. It’s little wonder they can barely look one another in the eye. But there are also moments of devilish humor and Carmen’s husband Nilson (Luciano Quirino) whom, having taken a shine to Alice, hangs a necklace on her while simultaneously checking out a passing woman’s ass, is just one great comic detail of many.

DVD Bonus Features

Extras include a short interview with director Chico Teixeira during which he details his transition from a white-collar economist to a television researcher and finally to documentary filmmaker with an eye towards social issues. Also included is another short interview with star Carla Ribas, who was something of an awards magnet for this role on the international festival circuit. Ribas outlines her background, charting her own journey into the industry having abandoned her career as an industrial designer at the age of thirty-five to start doing theater work. Finally we have a fifteen minute making-of featurette which outlines some of the logistics of shooting in the neighborhood and contains some insights from the rest of the cast.