I clearly see the attraction of City of God with its gripping characters, gritty backdrop, and violent turns. All this, and based on a true story to give it that added respectability. I wanted to like it because I recognize the value of the film as a work of cinematic art. Rarely have I seen a film so conscious of space and surrounding, and so willing to let the camera invade that space. I can’t say that I remember a specific instance in the film when the camera bumped into an actor or a part of the set decoration, but I felt very much that it could and that it rightly wouldn’t be edited out.
One might characterize the cinematography as “gritty” or “real,” but whatever you call it there is no doubt it makes for a compelling and engaging visual experience. Cinematographer Cesar Charlone rightly earned an Oscar nomination here. And alongside Mr. Charlone, I want to give credit to the film’s editor Daniel Rezende (also nominated for an Academy Award) who immaculately pulled together a very complicated story and made it understandable.
Appreciating City of God as a wonderfully crafted piece of art only makes the following admission more painful — I did not enjoy this film very much. Now, there is a certain part of me that understands that difficult films about hard places and gruesome realities perhaps shouldn’t be terribly enjoyable; yet, a tension exists because my pride says I should do more than recognize good art, I should enjoy it. I think a significant reason why I didn’t connect with the film is because the characters and their stories were so “other” than my own. Of course, we’re all human, but I struggled to relate to these particular humans and this left me unanchored to the narrative. At the end of the day, perhaps I have to treat City of God like I do a Salvador Dali painting — to stand in awe of its artistic mastery, but aloof from its subject.
To those interested in cinematic art, especially first-rate camera and editing work, City of God is required viewing. For everyone else, skip it and see Sin Nombre instead for, while equally violent in parts, this film has significantly more heart.
