Man of the Year

Review by Cathy Edsey Collins

for Reel Movie Critic

HHH

Cast

Murilo Benicio

Natalia Lage

Claudia Abreu

Jorge Doria

Directed by Jose' Henrique Fonseca. Written by Rubem Fonseca. A dramatic action thriller. Portuguese with English subtitles. Running time 116 minutes.

Blondes have more fun?

As part of a bet, Maiquel dyes his raven hair a shocking peroxide

blonde. When a local ruffian ridicules this unemployed Rio car salesman's yellow tresses, the seemingly mild-mannered Maiquel hunts down the thug and murders him. Instead of the expected legal repercussions, he discovers that the law has looked the other way and the townies revere him as a hero, who can settle their future scores.

Caught up in this new world of "Scarface" violent vengeance, Maiquel reaps the material benefits of his new role as gun for hire, including the adoration of his sexy hairdresser and the companionship - oddly enough - of the dead thug's 15-year-old girlfriend. Encouraged in his new vigilante career are three local businessmen (including Maiquel's dentist) who revel in the "cleanup" of their community and reward him handsomely for his bloody efforts.

Father (writer Rubem) and son (director Jose' Henrique Fonseca) have created a hyper-kinetic action flick that alternates between tragedy and black humor - a combination that is impossible to stop watching. Maiquel's descent into lawless immorality is both fascinating and depressing. Rarely deviating from a placid expressionless face, Maiquel's brooding lack of emotion is uniquely disturbing. With every new killing he seems more robot-like, less respectful of anything, and he spends an increasing amount of time staring into space. His celebrity status, his new wealth and his respect among the locals are seductive forces that make his return to a normal life almost impossible. Maiquel's solution to this problem is simplistic and darkly funny.

Humorous moments - the diatribes of the pet store owner, the fate of the pet pig - sit alongside violence that spirals into moral decay in this sharply written, uniquely filmed drama from Brazil. A thought-provoking study that illustrates with clarity the effects of a single, seemingly random act on a life.