DVD Review - Foreign Land

I found this DVD in the library (it is also available through Netflix) and immediately took it out.
It is directed by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas. And as someone who has seen most of Salles' films I just couldn't resist.

The story focuses on a young man named Paco (Fernando Alves Pinto). Paco lives with his mother in a run down section of Sao Paulo. He really wants to be an actor but he doesn't get very far. His mother is from San Sebastian in Spain and longs to go home. One day Paco's mother dies unexpectedly. After her funeral he is left with very little money. He meets up with a shady character named Igor (Luis Melo) who tells him to keep in touch. When Paco eventually contacts Igor he is assigned to bring a violin to Lisbon. With the money he gets for the job he will be able to go to San Sebastian (which is his way of paying his respects to his mother).

But when Paco arrives in Lisbon things don't go as planned. He meets up with a raunchy musician Miguel (Alexandre Borges), his ex girlfriend Alex (Fernanda Torres) and a book store owner Pedro (Joao Lagarto). That is all I will tell you about the plot. But it is a very interesting, if sometimes predictable, one. The acting is all good but not great (with the exception of Torres who is very good). The film is nicely shot in black and white.

I definitely think that this film is worth checking out (for fans of world cinema). The film that Salles made after this, the wonderful Central Station, won an Oscar. So if you want to see his progression as a filmmaker then see this film.