Benjamim (2003)

Director:

Monique Gardenberg

Writers:

Chico Buarque de Hollanda (book)
Jorge Furtado (writer)

Release Date:

9 April 2004 (Brazil)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Benjamim Zambraia is a lonely man, a famous model with a tragic past. Some time in the past, he showed...

Awards:

5 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Paulo José	...	Benjamim Zambraia (old)
Danton Mello	...	Benjamin Zambraia (young)
Cléo Pires	...	Ariela Masé / Castana Beatriz
Guilherme Leme	...	Jeovan
Chico Díaz	...	Alyandro Sgaratti
Nelson Xavier	...	Dr. Cantagalo
Rodolfo Bottino	...	Gâmbolo
Ernesto Piccolo	...	Zorza
Miguel Lunardi	...	Professor Douglas
Mauro Mendonça	...	Dr. Campoceleste
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Micaela Goes	...	Aninha
Ivone Hoffman	...	Governanta
Ana Kutner	...	Assistente Gâmbolo
Dadá Maia	...	Recepcionista
Pablo Padilla	...	Inquilino
Zeca Pagodinho	...	Himself
Rafael Rocha
Wando	...	Himself

Runtime:

USA:109 min (Sundance Film Festival)

Country:

Brazil

Language:

Portuguese

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Dueto Filmes

Movie Connections:

References Todas as Mulheres do Mundo (1967)

Soundtrack:

Years of Solitude

Film lacks impact and inexperienced lead actress is a major letdown

"Benjamim" is director Monique Gardenberg's second feature, following her interesting though not quite fully accomplished "Jenipapo" (1995). Based on a novel by the immensely talented Brazilian songwriter Chico Buarque (who is also a playwright/singer/writer), it tells the story of a man in his sixties, Benjamim (played by veteran actor Paulo José), who meets by chance young Ariela Masé (newcomer Cleo Pires). He is taken aback by her striking resemblance to his long-ago lover Castana Beatriz (also Pires) and flashbacks slowly unfold the truth of what happened in the past, with political innuendos.

"Benjamin" has professional qualities, an experienced crew working behind the camera, and a warm performance by one of Brazil's all-time great film actors (Paulo José). But there are major problems: a) we outguess the plot far in advance; b) there are totally expendable sequences, some of them because they're useless to plot development (e.g. Zeca Pagodinho's musical numbers, thrown in for commercial reasons) and some because they're really bad (the rape scene in the empty apartment, for example) c) although most sequences in "the present time" are OK in mood, the flashbacks simply don't work - they look terribly phony and poised; d) the casting criteria - although Benjamim is played by young Danton Mello in the flashbacks and by 68-year-old Paulo José in the present time, Rodolfo Bottino plays his character in BOTH past and present -- that's a stretch!!; e) Cleo Pires (daughter of TV and film star Glória Pires) fails completely in what was meant to be a star-making performance -- sorry, but she hasn't got (at least not yet) the talent, voice or screen presence to draw our attention to Ariela OR Castana, she is painfully inexperienced and is probably the main responsible for our detachment from the story and ultimately from the film.

In the end, I felt kind of sad, because it's a film I'd have liked to enjoy, if only for the talents involved - but it just doesn't deliver. My vote: 4 out of 10.