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Manda Bala (Send a Bullet) (2007) More at IMDb Pro »

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25 out of 35 people found the following comment useful :-
Fantastic documentary, 21 January 2007

Author: mcclellan-s from United States

This is one of the finest documentaries I have ever seen.

It takes on a very difficult subject, violence and corruption in Brazil, and portrays its impact on the population through the lives of a dozen or so primary characters. The film interviews the ruthless kidnapper-murderer, exposes and interviews the corrupt politician, shows a kidnapping victim getting his ear cut off; yet it conveys this potentially depressing subject matter with stunning visual effects and an uplifting Brazilian music score that captures the great spirit of Brazil's people.

The film has footage of children playing in the slums of Sao Paolo, but they aren't playing soccer. They are instead recreating the growing crime of kidnapping and cutting off the victims body parts. An actual kidnapper tells the camera he doesn't think much about the kidnappings and murders he commits. He then explains as a proud father that he has nine children and his wife is about to have their tenth. He concludes saying, "maybe one of them will grow up to fix this country".

The film opens by saying it cannot be shown in Brazil. I hope this does not prove to be the case and that it can be shown not only in Brazil but throughout Latin America and around the globe. It should be mandatory viewing for everyone everywhere concerned with the escalating vicious cycle of poverty, neglect, violence, and corruption that plagues mankind.

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15 out of 27 people found the following comment useful :-
Brilliant, breathtaking film!, 22 January 2007

Author: carissapotenza from NYC

"Manda Bala" is everything you could want in a documentary, or in any film, for that matter! Directed in a style akin to the finer films of Errol Morris, "Manda Bala" is beautifully shot, brilliantly edited, and has a tremendous musical score. Shot in Brazil over several years, this documentary smartly examines the nature of corruption and class division in a truly engaging & entertaining way; the film is gripping from beginning to end, and has an immediacy that has world-wide relevance and resonance. The story is tightly woven, but the film still breathes in an almost perfect way, with just the right amount of tension & release. I am INCREDIBLY impressed by the amazing, dare I say artistic work that first-time director Jason Kohn has toiled to put together. Everyone-and-their-brothers-in-law-too should go see "Manda Bala", as soon as it's given wide-release, post-Sundance!

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3 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Perfect, Outstanding, Truthful, Strong, A Must See, Academic..., 19 May 2008

Author: rotildao from Brazil, PR.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Send a Bullet starts with a bullet-proof windshield test being racked into pieces. Right after the intro we have a frog-raising-farm owner being induced to talk about the scandal involving Jader Barbalho, a former congressman and senator. From this moment on the foundation elements of this massively structured Stonehenge-film start to build up, and it goes all the way to the top provoking dizziness specially if one is afraid of "skyscrapers information".

The connection is cleverly done with great editing linking the vicious cycles of corruption in Brazilian society with people, facts and images. Using all personalities (they are very peculiar and darkly funny) and their direct or indirect experience with crime the poignant camera of Mr. Kohn (seems like this topic is really part of him... he would be "con"victed for deceiving his interviewees... and he is most likely a "Kohn" in his personal life, a perfect Kohn artist...) reveals truths that affect society in its entirety.

The images connect the criminals and the victims perfectly which may seem unfair or exploitative for some; however, knowing very well my place of birth and having conscience of all the goods and bads of life, this documentary achieves fairness in all dimensions using subtlety, and metaphorically cuts into the most painful wounds without spilling unnecessary blood, although we do see some of it along the way.

I was very skeptical and had some preconception when it was released and awarded in the U.S. thinking "hey! there goes another image spoiler of Brazil", specially knowing how "patriotic" North Americans are, and in some ways obsessed in putting their image up either ignoring or putting down other countries image as well, to feed the idea they are number 1 in everything...anyways...

I saw it just a few minutes ago and I regret to ever had any bad thoughts or preconceived ideas about it. Glad now to find out this documentary is simply the most truthful, reliable and fair in every way with the country I am "proud" to be a citizen of; however, like most people who live in Brazil, truth is hidden by our own selves like dust under the carpet, and the excessive greed, mostly "enjoyed" by politicians and the people who posses the most "prestigious" and responsible or higher statuses jobs.

The clueless amounts of money that vanish from public accounts is never returned to the public (the tax payer, yes, we do pay lots of taxes in Brazil!), and this everlasting condition is subject to several types of behavior. Behaviors that are shown in the film with ideas and attitudes of these real life characters. The plastic surgeon who makes tons of money reconstructing the ears of rich people who are kidnapped. The computer entrepreneur who spends tons of money with security devices in Sao Paulo while driving a 911 Turbo Porsche. The kidnapper himself, states he helps the slums' community to improve their lives with some of the money he gets from his victims. And the most "noble" of all characters, the proletarian hard working man who becomes a congressman and steals gazillion amounts of money and lives freely in Brazil, Jader Barbalho. These are just some of the characters and facts shown. Let's not forget the frog raisin farm which was one of the laundries for Barbalho's money washing. The farm is linked as Barbalho's property and the SUDAM project aimed to help develop poorer Northern regions of Brazil, which is metaphorically linked with every one of the characters' reality, but specially with the kidnapper who tells us most of his "employees" are people from the Northeast of Brazil who come to Sao Paulo looking for jobs. In the end, their reality are mine and yours as well, because who can actually afford real security in Brazil? Or, is there a way to feel secure in Brazil indeed?

Metaphorically, like the images in the film, we are like the frogs that eat one another when famine occurs. The people who owns us feed us when they want to, because we eat ourselves instead, like the frogs. We are property used to make extremely rich people to profit tremendously. We steal from ourselves by making us look better with plastic surgeries. We chase and fake the truth at the cost of our own lives because of money we give to our leaders. The more bread we give to our leaders more people are left without it. And within time it gets easier and cheaper to bribe, corrupt, and temporarily delude some people with lies and broken promises.

This documentary talks about every person living in nowadays society; however, in Brazil, this reality is pointless and unnecessary for its richness. A continuous nightmare to all of us, not only for people of lower classes, but to everyone.

I hope everyone would feel ashame and disgusted after watching Jader Barbalho with his dissimulated and happy smile. And if you feel nauseated only with the rib surgery scene, then, you are weak, futile and afraid to look at the real blood spilling everywhere, which by the way, it could be your blood one day painted on a sidewalk, and I don't wish that to anyone who understands the meaning of truth.

P.S.: the soundtrack has some of most notorious names of the 60's and 70's: Jorge Benjor, Tim Maia, Tom Zeh, Lo Borges, Paulo Diniz, Mutantes, Trio Mocoto, Jorge Mautner , Baden Powell, Egberto Gismonti, Caetano Veloso & Gal Costa, Alceu Valenca, Novos Baianos e A Barca do Sol.

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"You either steal with a gun or a pen...", 22 August 2008
Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida

WARNING: There are some really gross images in this film! You'll see close-ups of reconstructive surgery and it is NOT for kids or the faint of heart! Don't say you weren't warned.

Having seen several Brazilian movies like CITY OF GOD, CENTRAL STATION and THE MAN OF THE YEAR, I wasn't especially surprised when I watched SEND A BULLET--I knew that São Paulo was practically Hell on Earth due to out of control crime. Even if the crime isn't quite as bad as these films have portrayed it, it is very bad as kidnapping is practically a past-time! How a few reviewers can give this film a score of 1 and say it is full of lies is beyond me--the rise in violent crime and the birthrate are serious issues and Brazil, unfortunately, is becoming famous for this. This is a country with amazing possibilities but serious problems such as these are dooming its future. As a result, many companies are reticent to send employees there or set up shop--further increasing the gap between the haves and the have nots.

What I like about this film is that instead of reveling in violence (especially like THE MAN OF THE YEAR), the film tries to get to the heart of much of the problem. With politicians stealing and only receiving a slap on the wrist (at best) from programs designed to stimulate the economy and benefit the people, it's no wonder that the poor feel entitled to steal as well. After all, they just kidnap a few people--whereas the rich scum politician in this film rapes an entire nation! The lesson on immorality given by big-shot politicians naturally trickles down to the needy poor. Until corruption in high places is dealt with, I would agree with this documentary that personal crime would naturally follow as a sense of right and wrong must flow from the top down to the people.

By the way, don't assume I hate Brazil or am blaming them for having the only corrupt system on the planet. Here in the States, several of our large cities have similar problems. While none of the cities are as large as São Paulo and the crime rate isn't quite as bad, cities such as Washington, Newark and Detroit are highly reminiscent of São Paulo because government leaders (the mayors) are caught stealing and the cities only get more and more unlivable. These jerks claim to love the poor so much and are STILL re-elected or championed by these ill-educated people when they are caught!! Human nature is simply amazing.

Considering how worked up I got writing this review, it's obvious that this is a good film. Despite one review that said the documentary was poorly constructed, I think it was deftly made--taking all these disparate interviews and footage and weaving them into a very compelling argument. An exceptional film and one that thankfully tries to get to the root of some of the problems.

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1 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Poor Film "Not a documentary", 12 June 2008

Author: cajimusic from United States

Poor and superficial film, using disturbing images, playing with the American believe that Violence and Corruption only happen in other countries. This is a bad copy of other Brazilian movies, this people could be making Art with more social engagement , sensibility and respect for other cultures.

The worst part of the movie is when Kids are showed acting/playing as kidnappers. The director admitted that He asked the Kids to do the theater, but presents it as if it was reality, making the public believe that this is how kids play in the streets of Brazil. This is unetical, not a documentary, shouldn't be a reference.

I believe that it's time for the young Americans to start looking into solving their own problems at home. And not only look for sensationalism , violence and misery but, beauty and successful experiences in other cultures, not only they problems, feeding prejudices and fear.

It's time to exchange ideas , using art as communication, a Global believe of trust and enlightenment. Not only fear of the different, of the foreigner, the neighbor...

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1 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Very well made.., 26 February 2008

Author: (jezzas_place@hotmail.com) from Sheffield, England

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I found the documentary to be extremely well made and the links made between the politicians and kidnappers left a lot to be thought about. I don't think the director was giving an answer for the economic inequality more showing real cases of kidnap and seemingly real cases of corrupt politicians, which are clearly causes. When I finished watching the film I saw the focus to be on the similarities between the two key components, the stealing of money leading to possible the influx of kidnappers in Sao Paulo, the kidnappers apparent protection of people in his area, acting as the politician, rather than the somewhat brutal scenes.

I found the scenes with frogs more squeamish than the plastic surgery.

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6 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
needs editing, 9 June 2007

Author: olavito from brooklyn

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This movie was all over the place. Frogs, ears, ski masks & bad teeth, kidnapping, plastic surgery, etc. It was hard not to ask "hey, what happened to the frogs?" a few times during the movie. The subject matter is very interesting, but to me the director tried to look at different aspects of the film, and then bring everything together at the end. For me, it didn't work. The connection linking Magrinho and Jader Barbalho appeared thin. There was no "a ha!" moment that I think the director was gunning for. I also did not like at all how the plastic surgeon was portrayed. It appears that he has done some revolutionary work in the field and has greatly helped some people recover from brutal crimes. To show him enjoying himself at his fazenda with his dog frolicking in the pool implies that he is taking advantage of the system and crushing the little guy for his own benefit. This man works hard. The evil is Jader Barbalho, not the doctor. Overall, this movie could have been split in two, one covering the kidnappings of São Paulo, the other the corruption of Jader. Combining them was a mistake.

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12 out of 28 people found the following comment useful :-
"Entertain people", 7 June 2007

Author: filipe-23 from United States

This film is a documentary only insofar as the characters are people playing themselves. Director Jason Kohn has no interest in exploring or understanding the issues the film purports to examine, rather pandering to the audience by prodding his subjects to tell their most shocking stories and judging them immediately after.

The corruption and violence are presented in a near total vacuum of context, adding to the cynical view towards the subjects involved. The absurdity of truth is pushed to its limit for the purpose of entertainment, effectively stripping away all meaning from the truly deplorable situation in Brazil. The reaction Mr. Kohn is after, and is quite talented at achieving, is a "Wow, that's f****d up!". Nothing more. There's something to be said of a documentarian whose sole purpose is to "Entertain people". There really isn't much more at play in this "documentary." It will be interesting to see what tabloid material Kohn tackles next.

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9 out of 35 people found the following comment useful :-
Exploitative and ignorant, 19 August 2007

Author: karenatasha from New York

Sure, there's much to say about the economic inequality that has turned Sao Paulo into a violent city. But Manda Bala isn't the place to hear it. Yes, there are facts that will shock anyone thoroughly unfamiliar with Brazil's political and social problems--and even some that might surprise those who are. But it's the treatment of these issues that is so poor. The focus is on the most exploitative, gut-wrenching images rather than on true analysis, and the director doesn't have the insight to conduct a truly incisive interview.

Plus, it's not well done as a documentary--those images may be stomach-churning but not necessarily well-composed or interesting in and of themselves. And the editing leaves a lot to be desired too. At only 85 minutes, it feels way longer.

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8 out of 46 people found the following comment useful :-
powerful movie but I have some complaints!, 29 September 2007
Author: marymorrissey from United States

I felt there was way too much sound in the film, too much assiduous stuffing of Brazilian beats into every nook and cranny. Nice to hear some of that music but please. The mix was weird, the music too loud with the voices, and when the music was by itself it was cranked up ridiculously high.

Really disliked the practice of having the audience sit through the foreign language dialog then here a translator sitting there deliver a translation, usually off camera.

I couldn't' help thinking about how the figure of 2 billion stolen compares with the 3 trillion spent on Iraq, most of it going into private hands with more mercenaries on the ground in Iraq than US troops. In some respects things are so much worse here.

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