"Metanoia" covers the struggles faced by a young man (Caique Oliveira) while succumbing to drug addiction and the many attempts
made by his hard-working, devoted mother (Einat Falbel) to save him from the hell world of Cracolândia (Crack land, an infamous area
from downtown São Paulo where drug addicts gather on the street to use and/or seel drugs). Most likely a real-life story as it happened
and happens with a lot of people who end up there, some dying, and some surviving their passages through there.
The film's title, if you're not familiar with the term, relates with the act of changing of thinking process, or in an elevated and
more spiritual way, to reach some enlightenement, a process of convertion. Both are important for the main character in a way but that will
only come way later in the movie after the man spends countless days and nights dealing with substance abuse, becoming a criminal and
always upsetting his mother, who sometimes manages to lock him in his room when he's back from the streets.
The film doesn't bring anything new to the thematic of addiction, though viewers unfamiliar with the theme will certainly find a
powerful and memorable experience as following the character's trajectory of up's and down's and countless struggles. But I don't agree with
the ultimate message, since it's too simplistic as an one-way sollution when in fact it's quite well-known that it's a combination of elements
that must go hand-in-hand (rehab, anonymouys group meetings, theraphy and possibly but not mandatory, to have a faith on a supreme being). Since there's
a disclaimer coming from a church at the end it felt like I was seeing a commercial to it.
What prevents this from being a far more interesting film than it is, and it almost ruins it as well, is the lead actor (also
one of the film's writers). Acting is so-and-so for a debut - and only performance - and I could not believe him as a crack-addict due
to his big built at all phases, even when living in the streets he's too big; as for his script the problem is the excessive narration,
poorly used at many times since he's narrating things we are seeing rather than just narrating his feelings and thoughts.
The positive notes that makes of "Metanoia" a good work comes from the veteran actors such as Caio Blat, as the playboy who
introduces Caique's character to the world of drugs; Lucas Hornos mystery presence is also a great plus - for those who don't remember
he was Caco Antibes son in "Sai de Baixo" and I won't reveal about his important character in the story; and an one-scene cameo from Solange Couto and Silvio Guindane where they play
mother and son who found each other at Cracolândia and she desperatly tries to find a way to connect with him again, preparing an
improvised birthday party to him but he's in too deep on addiction to care for her. It's such a heartbreaking, powerful scene that for
a moment you'd actually wanted for the film's main story be foccused on them; or at least just see this scene alone since it express
so many emotions at once that a short film with just that could be made and the result would be fantastic. Plus I loved seeing them together
after the unforgettable duo they formed in the TV series "O Clone" where she played his demanding boss at the bar.
Despite some of its problems, the theme was treated in an approachable manner, it can be easily discussed but I just thought it got to a
simplistic ultimate sollution that I can't agree 100%. Yet the movie truly captures the dark nature of the scenary - it was filmed on
the actual location - and also makes some poignant talks about the problematic of drug addiction in society. 7/10.
