"Águia na Cabeça" ("Eagle on the Top") is a purely entertaining film that truly captures the shady underworld of illegal betting with the Jogo do
Bicho and its profitable yet risky importance in Rio's society of the period.
Cesar (Nuno Leal Maia) is the right-hand man of a senator (Joffre Soares) who
has a special spot commanding the betting game, dealing with competitors such as the intelligent Canedo (Jece Valadão) and the hot-headed Turco (Hugo Carvana) who
all try to become the king of the business. But when Cesar kills his boss and creates a war between the remaining competitors and the senator's wife
(Tereza Rachel) who heirs his position and becomes head of the business, he aims at gaining control of everything barely knowing that if someone finds out
about his scheme, he'll be the next victim of this criminal world. Alligned with that he's divided between the senator's daughter (Xuxa Lopes) of whom he
only gets near for strategical businesses; and the dancer Rosa (Christiane Torloni), where love blossoms but there's another man eyeing on her, the
mysterious Gabriel (Chico Diaz), who works for Turco.
I must say that the story is quite confusing with its numerous characters and situations to follow, and everybody's so unlikeable that it's hard
to feel deeply immersed in its story. Even when we feel liking Cesar for a long while, since he's a heroic figure who toys with all the dangerous guys and
he has somewhat good intentions in bringing down their schemes in order to take over, he loses audiences sympathy after a second cruel murderous act. And
the whole thing of Cesar being torn apart between two loves is a little annoying and just an excuse to throw some
pointless sex scenes - but the one with him and Canedo's lover (Zezé Motta) on the beach is very integral to the story, important just as the one with the crooked
chief of police (Nildo Parente) having an orgy with three women.
Despite its flaws and confusion the movie becomes a curious piece that entertains and thrills a little, and has some great deal of humor, coming from
Turco's character and the reporter Rodrigo (Álvaro Freire), the only man trusted by Cesar and one whom spreads fake stories against the senator's wife. Fun movie
and pretty watchable because all the actors are amazingly comfortable in their roles, convincing all the way without any false notes. It could have go
without those laughable original songs by Fafá de Belém. 6/10.
