Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Regina Casé | ... | Val | |
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Michel Joelsas | ... | Fabinho |
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Camila Márdila | ... | Jéssica |
Karine Teles | ... | Bárbara | |
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Lourenço Mutarelli | ... | Carlos |
Helena Albergaria | ... | Edna | |
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Bete Dorgam | ... | Janaina |
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Luis Miranda | ... | Antonio Jardineiro |
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Theo Werneck | ... | Vandré |
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Luci Pereira | ... | Raimunda |
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Anapaula Csernik | ... | Diléia |
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Hugo Villavicenzio | ... | Peruano |
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Roberto Camargo | ... | Reporter |
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Alex Huszar | ... | Caveira |
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Andrey Lima | ... | Fabinho Criança (as Andrey Lima Lopes) |
Val spends 13 years working as nanny to Fabinho in São Paulo. She is financially stable but has to live with the guilt of having left her daughter Jéssica, in Pernambuco, in the northeast of Brazil, raised by relatives. As college entrance exams roll around, Jéssica wants to come to São Paulo to take her college entrance exams too. When Jéssica arrives, cohabitation is not easy. Everyone will be affected by the personality and candor of the girl and Val finds herself right in the middle of it.
I believe this movie is an accurate depiction of a typical upper middle class or upper class Brazilian household. There is a clear and well defined divide between the haves and the have nots. Val the maid lives in a small room and comes from the impoverished North East of Brazil (just as former President Lula did!). I think the film maker wanted to paint a picture of stark contrasts, somewhat like a film version of Casa-Grande & Senzala by Gilberto Freyre (discussed the various classes and races in Brazil 1933). Although the mother was a pretty overbearing one percenter, I don't think she is unique and could be found anywhere! The father was pretty cool, absolutely nothing phoney about him, all up front. The movie presents the Vestibular University entrance exam system. The system does not distinguish applicants based on societal position. Also the best Universities are free, so we can all learn something from Brazil. Parabéns.