Here's an interesting story that gets a decent and palatable translation to the screen which revolves around the masterminds responsible for creating
the Real, a monetary currency that changed Brazil political and economical system, injecting hope and vision to the population, and removing the inflation
nightmare from the economy. It's a good story but never great as I think it should be. The elements to create such great film exist but in order to apease
certain audiences the film was made too easy to please.
The reason for "Real - O Plano por Trás da História" being
an average film instead of a brilliant film is that its nature although new in some aspects is lost in two things: a political ideology that
isn't toned down and almost becomes a nostalgic protest for the return of a certain political period; and it's lack of originality by just trying to have
a soul of its own. This movie screams of "The Social Network" all over the place to an annoying point. All I could think was that the script was turning
Gustavo Franco (Real's creator) into an obnoxious genius savior of the world and man of the moment just as Mark Zuckerberg was when Facebook was released. They sure had their importance but geniality is none of those;
and to elevate Franco to the extent of a terrible individual who's also a brilliant economist is to give him too much credit for the nation's economical safety.
It borrows so many elements from Fincher's masterpiece that it's almost embarassing, and a talented writer and director could have chosen a different look and tone for this.
Examples of how similar they are: just look at the opening scene where Franco (played by a frightening and inspired Emílio Orciollo Neto), his girlfriend and
their friends are having a nice dinner until Franco and his best mate (Klebber Toledo) get into an ideological/political fist-fight that breaks their relationship. Our lead
loses the friend and his girl thanks to his combative nature, lack of tact and mister-know-it-all. Mark and Erica break-up plus the Saverin court situation
are mirrored here - the court situation here is an interview with a reporter (Cássia Kis, so weak) years later after Franco's success with the Real, this time
facing criminal charges from the opposition. So, here's something that doesn't stand on its own.
Back to the other issue, the politics. I'm not critical of the Real neither the economic system as presented here but I'm critical of some excessive praise
on objectionable facts about the money's creation, and that goes back to the main character, his philosophy and history. Why the makers felt so important to show
Franco's idealization of Napoleon and the Nazi regime when the economist has to present the influences behind his successful plan? This only makes us like the
man even less after seeing him time and again mistreating and making less of people.
The film gives credit to all sides involved with the Real Plan and the
different thoughts from the economy team brought by future president Fernando Henrique Cardoso, it really shows how explosive and divided those men
were with Franco making his case by putting two different currencies working at the same time while others were making less risky schemes. Fact is: Gustavo
Franco succeed it with the boldest of plans and Real still stands despite the up's and down's of the market system; it's bumpy years in the late 1990's; but
at the same time it served a political partisanship to win elections and enter into people's mind as a perfect era when it wasn't all that good.
The key issue of the
movie is first rate and viewers who don't know much about economy or hate its terms will find here a film easy to follow. The acting was enjoyable and decent (Tato Gabus as future minister Pedro Malan was amazing; the actor who plays José Serra captured with excellency the politician's voice and mannerisms;
and Toledo's only moment was a show-stealer that kept me waiting for his return). Thumbs up from me, a highly watchable movie but sadly divisive. 6/10.
