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Brazil

Play trailer Poster for Brazil R Released Dec 18, 1985 2h 22m Comedy Sci-Fi Play Trailer Watchlist
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98% Tomatometer 55 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Low-level bureaucrat Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) escapes the monotony of his day-to-day life through a recurring daydream of himself as a virtuous hero saving a beautiful damsel. Investigating a case that led to the wrongful arrest and eventual death of an innocent man instead of wanted terrorist Harry Tuttle (Robert De Niro), he meets the woman from his daydream (Kim Greist), and in trying to help her gets caught in a web of mistaken identities, mindless bureaucracy and lies.
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Brazil

Brazil

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Critics Consensus

Brazil, Terry Gilliam's visionary Orwellian fantasy, is an audacious dark comedy, filled with strange, imaginative visuals.

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Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael New Yorker It's like a stoned, slapstick 1984: a nightmare comedy in which the comedy is just an aspect of the nightmarishness. Jan 3, 2018 Full Review Joe Morgenstern Wall Street Journal [A] darkly funny and truly visionary retro-futurist fantasy. Mar 12, 2011 Full Review Variety Staff Variety Brazil offers a chillingly hilarious vision of the near-future. May 30, 2007 Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia Gilliam, with a finely tuned aesthetic, constructs it as an Orwellian, nightmarish satire, which always raises its dark tone when it interrogates the omnipotence of the bureaucratic State on the basis of a dystopia. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 8/10 Jan 20, 2024 Full Review Paul Kanieski KSQD Community Radio From our post-9/11 viewpoint, Brazil’s biting social commentary comes across like an unheeded polemic against the slippery slope of surveillance and information gathering done in the name of national security. Jul 24, 2023 Full Review Howard Waldstein CBR What the film lacks in terms of a pandering narrative, it makes up for in lush backdrops, fantastic practical effects, and very real observations on surveillance states. Jul 18, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alejandro E If the idea was to adapt Orwell's dystopia -1984- then the result is as close as possible. Set in a bureaucratic tyranny, the story looks like a madman's dream, and fits quite well into the fiction genre. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/18/24 Full Review Mequias F A wonderful criticism of modern bureaucracy, “Brazil” underscores the need for humanity and reasoning to accompany the soulless and heartless machine we are running. Believe it or not, Capitalism has a place for the consumer; one of respect and consideration; one where the client is correct, their needs are tended to, and all parties profit from it. Have you been to a McDonald’s recently? Doubtless their servers have made a mistake or two in your order from time to time. If you report these errors to their management, they tend to immediately replace your purchase, for free, and apologize. Charity does exist in business and can even lead to more profit. Brazil’s absurdity magnifies the issues of paperwork and administrators, but not as excessively as you’d imagine. Many working people are incredibly detached from reality, and are desperate to return to human nature (or to a semblance of reason and security). It’s no surprise, then, that the heroes of this story are those who calmly defy the current order. In contrast, the film also presents incredibly immature people in positions of incredible power, demonstrating the immense harm they can do if not confronted. After all, the protagonist has the mental development of a fifteen year old, exactly like so many of our current day politicians and celebrities! Brazil’s brilliant use of props, environments, color and lighting allow us to detach from existence, while still delivering an entertaining, deeper meaning regarding our reality and the people in it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/15/24 Full Review Second C Must watch absolutely Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/02/24 Full Review Steve M An absolute masterpiece. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/27/24 Full Review Test T I watched this on DVD recently and based on the reviews, my expectations were high, although ultimately misplaced. The problem was that the film consists mainly of poorly illuminated dark scenes, and because of this it is often difficult to see what is happening. There is no doubt that the film is imaginative, thought provoking and highly creative but in my opinion the onscreen experience is confusing and underwhelming. It's also far too long for comfort, and would benefit from losing at least 30 minutes, and an increased pace. In conclusion it needs a modern remake. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/24/24 Full Review Kai K If you want to watch a movie, watch 1984. Brazil is the very worst storytelling and storyline I have ever seen in any film. Honestly, if you were to skip 2 hours of exposition at the start you would have an identical experience. It is horrid at storytelling. However, this is the greatest film ever made when it comes to cinematography. The imagery used and the things expressed with it, especially in the concluding act/twist ending where it goes all out in imagery. This does not make up for a lack of story, no, and thus is why I chose to ignore a good chunk of the actual film itself, yet still it is the most artsy and interesting thing to look at. Maybe ever. Not listen to, or overly care for, but simply look at and ponder. A masterpiece? No. Career defining work? No. Still, one of the greatest displays in all of cinema? Yes. Worthy watching? Only the end. It's meh. But it does get you thinking. Even then, just go with 1984, it does the storytelling so much better. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/24/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

Brazil

Brazil: Official Clip - Sam Is Captured Brazil: Official Clip - Sam Is Captured 2:58 Brazil: Official Clip - I Love You Brazil: Official Clip - I Love You 3:00 Brazil: Official Clip - The Moving Desk Brazil: Official Clip - The Moving Desk 2:58 Brazil: Official Clip - Plastic Surgery Brazil: Official Clip - Plastic Surgery 1:50 Brazil: Official Clip - My Complication Had a Little Complication Brazil: Official Clip - My Complication Had a Little Complication 1:35 Brazil: Official Clip - Harry Wastes Central Services Brazil: Official Clip - Harry Wastes Central Services 2:17 Brazil: Official Clip - Trust Me! Brazil: Official Clip - Trust Me! 2:27 Brazil: Official Clip - Harry Tuttle, Heating Engineer Brazil: Official Clip - Harry Tuttle, Heating Engineer 2:08 Brazil: Official Clip - A Receipt for Your Husband Brazil: Official Clip - A Receipt for Your Husband 2:37 Brazil: Official Clip - Central Services Pays a Visit Brazil: Official Clip - Central Services Pays a Visit 1:46 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Low-level bureaucrat Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) escapes the monotony of his day-to-day life through a recurring daydream of himself as a virtuous hero saving a beautiful damsel. Investigating a case that led to the wrongful arrest and eventual death of an innocent man instead of wanted terrorist Harry Tuttle (Robert De Niro), he meets the woman from his daydream (Kim Greist), and in trying to help her gets caught in a web of mistaken identities, mindless bureaucracy and lies.
Director
Terry Gilliam
Producer
Arnon Milchan
Screenwriter
Terry Gilliam, Charles McKeown, Tom Stoppard
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Comedy, Sci-Fi
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 18, 1985, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$3.7M
Runtime
2h 22m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Surround, Dolby A
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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