Cinema Consults: CITY OF GOD

This film, which can be rentedfrom your local video store, israted on a scale of 1 to 4 caducei:

CITY OF GOD

(2002): Mybiggest gripe aboutthe film industry isthat they hype andpromote moviesthat usually disappoint,whereasgems like this filmare hard to evenfind in a theater.I regret not seeingthis one on thebig screen. This brutal coming-ofage,crime drama follows the experiencesof a young man, Buscape,also known as Rocket (AlexandreRodriguez), who struggles to survivein the impoverished outskirts of Riode Janeiro amid raging gang warfare.As an aspiring photographer,Buscape witnesses and eventuallycaptures on film the brutality ofgrowing up surrounded by drugs,violence, and death. Despite its rawbrutality (some scenes are difficult towatch because of their disturbinghonesty), this film is cinematicallycompelling and balances a nonlinearprogression with a tightly wovenplotline and moving character development.Not to mention, this cast ofyoung, relatively unknown actorsdish out performances that will leaveyou speechless. Directors Katia Lundand Fernando Meirelles bring to thescreen a story that twists and turnsand eventually comes together in aheart-stopping, explosive conclusion.For those of you who shy away fromsubtitled foreign films, please makean exception for this one.

Rating: 4

Lisa A. Tomaszewski, managing editor

of Physician's Money Digest, is currently

working on her PhD in literature at

Drew University in New Jersey. She is

an avid fan of film and has taught a

summer film course at Fairleigh

Dickinson University. She welcomes

questions, comments, or suggestions for

future film reviews at 732-656-1140

ext 195 or ltomaszewski@mwc.com.