45 do Segundo Tempo

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Luiz Miguel C “A work about time, friendship, and the hope that remains when everything seems about to end.” “45 do Segundo Tempo” is more than just a Brazilian film about reunions and memories. It is a love letter to life that slips through our fingers, to youth that insists on disappearing between the lines of everyday life, and to the immeasurable value of true friendship. Directed with sensitivity by Luiz Villaça, the feature film surprises with a powerful mix of melancholy, humor, and redemption—delivering to the audience one of the most touching experiences in Brazilian cinema in recent years. In the first few minutes, the viewer realizes that they are watching a rare narrative: intimate, delicately constructed, with characters who seem to jump off the screen and sit next to us. The story revolves around Pedro Baresi, played with emotional precision and soul by Tony Ramos. Pedro is a disenchanted man, owner of a cantina in São Paulo, who, upon deciding to end his life, resolves to reconnect with two friends from his adolescence: Ivan and Mariano. What could easily descend into shallow sentimentality or easy comedy is transformed, in the hands of a mature and well-balanced script, into a subtle journey about memory, buried dreams, and the rediscovery of the value of being alive. Tony Ramos, in one of the most human roles of his career, delivers a moving performance. With just a glance, he conveys the weight of decades lived, the weariness of accumulated disappointments, and, at the same time, the discreet spark of someone who still wants to find meaning, even in the “45th minute of the second half” of existence. At his side, Cássio Gabus Mendes (as Ivan) and Ary França (as Mariano) form a trio with rare chemistry, reminiscing about their youth while facing, with resignation or rebellion, the scars of the present. There is a remarkable accuracy in the tone of the film: the humor is subtle, sharp, but always respectful. The jokes arise naturally, as in life, between silences and pains. There are no caricatures here — just ordinary men trying to understand at what point their paths deviated so much from what they imagined in their youth. The script is right not to offer easy answers. The journey is not about recovering the past, but about looking at it with maturity. It is not about nostalgia, but about reconciliation. The scenes are punctuated by intelligent, reflective, and often moving dialogues. The viewer is led to think about their own friendships, choices, and omissions. Luiz Villaça's direction is sober and poetic. He allows the actors to breathe, the silences to speak, the looks to reveal more than words. The urban photography of São Paulo dialogues with the story, revealing alleys, street corners, and memories of a city that grows on top of its own ruins — a powerful visual metaphor for the characters themselves. The soundtrack, in turn, is another highlight: subtle, nostalgic, woven with songs that mark time and evoke forgotten emotions. But perhaps the greatest merit of “45 do Segundo Tempo” is its universality. Although deeply Brazilian in its setting and spirit, the film addresses themes that transcend generations and cultures: the fear of the end, the strength of human connections, and the possibility, however small, of starting over — even when we believe it is already too late. This film is an ode to common humanity, to the beauty of imperfect relationships, to the courage to keep going even when life seems to offer nothing more. It is a celebration of friendship as a vital force, as an antidote to despair. And above all, it is a gentle reminder that as long as there is still time on the clock — even if it is in extra time — there is still room for hope. “45 do Segundo Tempo” is the kind of work that takes us by surprise, that warms the heart and makes us leave the movie theater in silence — not for lack of anything to say, but because we have felt something too true to be explained immediately. A modern classic of Brazilian cinema. A necessary film. A hug in the time we have left. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/09/25 Full Review Read all reviews

45 do Segundo Tempo

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