December 1, 2025 – This Portuguese language movie is set in 1977, a time of political upheaval and corruption in Brazil. A former college professor, Armando (played by Wagner Moura of “Civil War”) returns from exile to Recife, Brazil, to take his young son, Fernando (Enzo Nunes) out of the country to safety.

While waiting for passports under the assumed name of Marcelo Alves, he seeks records regarding his family, until he discovers that he has been targeted for death by a powerful politician who he and his late wife angered years ago. The story is told from two time periods, 1977, and the present day, through audio recordings and other records being researched by history student Flávia (played by Laura Lufési). The audio recordings were made in 1977 by Elza (Maria Fernanda Cândido) a resistance activist who interviewed Armando.

While Armando seeks birth records of his mother, Flávia is seeking information about Armando. Both are being hampered by inadequate government record keeping. Another narrative follows two killers, Augusto (Roney Villela) and Bobbi (Gabriel Leone) who have been hired to murder Armando. Bobbi and Augusto, in turn, hire another killer, Vilmar (Kaiony Venâncio) to help them hunt down Armando and kill him.

A corrupt police chief, Euclides (Robério Diógenes) and his sons Sergio (Igor de Araújo) and Arlindo (Ítalo Martins) are seen working with Bobbi and Augusto to cover up evidence of another murder by removing evidence from a morgue. Eventually, Armando, Bobbi, Vilmar and others all come together on one fateful day and there is violence.

Suspense builds in the first three-quarters of this film toward this violent confrontation, but suddenly, the dramatic brakes are applied, and it all ends in an anticlimax, like the director, Kleber Mendonça Filho (“Bacurau”) ran out of film. The final confrontations happen off-screen. The drama that is immediate suddenly becomes history, revealed after the fact.

The fate of some key characters is revealed, while the fate of others remains a mystery, as the present of 1977 becomes the past, and the drama fades away. It seems to be like a significant part of the story is missing, and maybe that's the point. I don't know enough about Brazilian history to know if this historical period is being erased, but if it is that would explain a lot. Efforts are underway to erase significant parts of U.S. history, which could result in incomplete stories like this one. I did feel short-changed by this story. It rates a C+.

I spotted an Easter egg in the movie, a reference to veteran actor Udo Kier (“Blade”) who plays Jewish refugee Hans in this movie and who played Michael in Bacurau. There is a brief reference in this movie to “Flesh for Frankenstein” (1973) starring Udo Kier as Baron Frankenstein. Kier has appeared in over 250 movies and TV episodes.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff (no extra charges apply). I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

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