A film which Harmony Korine credits as inspiration when writing 'Kids', Pixote is a grim piece of filmmaking, which captures the desperate reality of a word fueled by violence and poverty. The title character, Pixote, is a young boy who has been abadoned by his parents, subsequently forced to scour scraps on the streets. How does he survive? The only way he sees how on these poverty stricken streets - Drugs and Violence. The most noticeable aspect of Pixote is the realism which it is able to capture. There is no emotional manipulation of its characters or story, rather just a geniune look into the world of street kids in Rio de Janeiro. There is no doubt that some of this could be attributed to a major chunk of the cast being non-actors, but the style definitely fits the world in its own right. The story is beautifully tragic, reminding me of a cross between De Sica's Shoeshine and Bunuel's The Young and The Damned. If I had one serious critique of the film it would be simply that the pacing leaves a little to be desired, but honestly I was so invested in this 10-year olds story that it barely mattered. Fernando Ramos de Silva is mesmerizing as young Pixote, giving a performance that is just hard to believe for such a young boy. Definitely not a film for the faint of heart, but a worthwhile experience for anyone who wants to see a poignant, yet tragic tale of abandoned youth. 8/10
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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