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| REVIEW |
GALLERY |
Hi, I made this page at the request of Beatriz Alves, who's
review is published below.
If you'd like to contribute info, send in a review, or send
some stills.
email or
submit info or review
TRAILER |
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Year:
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Rated:
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Runtime:
? mins |
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Starring:
Joseph Marcell, Martinho Da Vila |
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Directed
by: Teddy Hayes |
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Written
by: Teddy Hayes |
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Based
on the Story by:
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Edited by:
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Music
by: ? |
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Movie
Studio: ? |
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BOOK
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Soundtrack
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Download
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Blu ray or HD DVD
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DVD
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Review |
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That Samba Thing
Reviewed by Beatriz Alves
(from the Rio Film festival 2007)
Super
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The film starts slowly
and gently but about 15 minutes in, things start to
bubble and then in another 10 things are boiling and
they never slow down. Pacey and provocative, set in
London leading up to the Notting Hill Carnival this
film tells four engrossing stories and one light
hearted one about people fighting to overcome the
day to day problems as they try to realize their
dreams. Writer, director skilfully Teddy Hayes wove
each story into the overall emotional tapestry that
fit together in a way similar to “Amores Perros”
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The samba music moves the crowd,
especially when scenes of the Notting Hill Carnival
explode onto the screen with lots of vibrant colour
and movement followed by a live performance by samba
master Martinho Da Vila who performs with London’s
Paraiso samba school. My favourite part was a scene
between Madelena, (Claudia Balducci), a Brazilian
illegal immigrant who speaks no English and Shaun (Willan
Shombe) a West Indian who speaks no Portuguese), who
somehow manage to find love despite their inability
to speak through words. Also there is Emma, the
film’s real heroine played by Catherine Dennard and
Joseph Marcell who plays Nelson her friend, the
charismatic samba club owner. Together they deliver
scenes that demonstrate the ability of friendship
and true human compassion to transcend everyday
troubles. One of the most amusing strands was a
situation involving Rudolpho (Derry Pope) as a gay
bartender being baited by a barroom bully, who gets
his own sweet revenge to everyone’s surprise. A most
compelling performance was delivered by Andrew Smith
as Douglass the immigration agent driven by a
jealous rage to seek revenge on all Brazilian
because his wife’s infidelity with a Brazilian. In
his jealous frenzy Douglass strikes out at two
innocent Brazilian illegals who become the target of
his
wrath. This film is a shot in the arm to an
otherwise drab London independent film scene with
its all too common tales about down at the heel
losers living on council estates, feeling sorry for
themselves and confused about their lives. This film
offers hope and targets a light at the end of the
tunnel. But most importantly this film never loses
sight of the view that film is meant to
entertain rather than be an onscreen mirror for
audience neurosis. |
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