Aquarius

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Aquarius

Released Oct 14, 2016

2h 25m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

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114 Reviews

78%

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1,000+ Ratings

Clara, a 65-year-old widow and retired music critic, vows to live in her apartment until she dies after a developer buys all of the units around her.

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Critics Consensus

Led by a powerful performance from Sônia Braga, Aquarius uses a conflict between a tenant and developers to take an insightful look at the relationship between space and identity.

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Namrata Joshi

The Hindu

Sonia Braga is awe-inspiring.

Jul 24, 2018

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

This clever, nuanced drama doubles as a political allegory concerning Brazilian corruption. But it would matter, regardless. A dawning, as the similarly-titled song has it.

Rated: 5/5

Apr 26, 2017

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Ryan Gilbey

New Statesman

Aquarius is a leisurely character study that is also urgently political in its treatment of race, class and commerce.

Mar 29, 2017

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Aaron Boalick

Vague Visages

Aquarius shines most brightly in its presentation of instances of strong-willed, resilient and vivacious feminine solidarity.

Nov 30, 2023

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Vadim Rizov

Filmmaker Magazine

Aquarius is a sprawl, even more so than the leisurely Neighboring Sounds, but the good kind, putting in the time to plausibly render the textures of different areas of a macrocosmic city.

Jan 17, 2023

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Aaron Pinkston

Battleship Pretension

Filho films their intrusions in the manner of a thriller, situating us in a limited point-of-view that heightens intrusions to the frame or sound design without fully explicating them.

Jan 4, 2021

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Alexsander F

The subtle Lacanian editing technique employed by Kleber Mendonça in his films is fantastic.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/04/25

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Roberto T

This is sad to say, but this might be my favorite Brasilian movie (I dont know that I am moved by City of God, for example). The ending is just a formulaic resolution typical of turn of the century (and earlier) western European cinema. But the scenes, the family story, the tension you cannot avoid as you wonder what is going wrong in the background, are rewarding.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/26/25

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Renaldo D

Good setting and script. But it's slow.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/23/23

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Carlos H

Aquarius é um daqueles filmes que nos faz ter orgulho do cinema nacional. É impressionante, a habilidade do roteirista de escolher um tema central e, a partir dele, desenrolar as tramas de todos os personagens. Em Aquarius, a mensagem principal é: há coisas que o dinheiro não pode comprar, sendo inferior às nossas memórias afetivas e ao carinho que possuímos por uma pessoa ou, no caso do filme, por um lugar que marcou as nossas vidas. Sonia Braga é brilhante. Ela tem um talento e beleza que provocam um magnetismo, que torna impossível desgrudar os olhos da tela. Um dos melhores filmes nacionais, sem dúvidas.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Kleber Mendonça delivers a rich tale about the many nuances of the brasilian society. Even if the movie could be somewhat better paced, it's value is undeniable - as is Sonia Braga's excellent performance.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Aquarius é um filme que nem se quer, presta atenção como ele representa certas realidades brasileiras. Aquarius exige luta e muita dedicação quanto na ficção e na realidade também. Sonia Braga tem uma personagem muito forte e destemida em Aquarius.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

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Kleber Mendonça Filho

Director

Sônia Braga

Clara

Maeve Jinkings

Ana Paula

Irandhir Santos

Roberval

Humberto Carrão

Diego

Zoraide Coleto

Ladjane

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Aquarius: Trailer 1

1:35

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Synopsis

Clara, a 65-year-old widow and retired music critic, vows to live in her apartment until she dies after a developer buys all of the units around her.

Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Producer: Emilie Lesclaux, Saïd Ben Saïd, Michel Merkt
Screenwriter: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Distributor: Vitagraph Films
Production Co: SBS Productions, CinemaScópio Produções
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Brazilian Portuguese
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 14, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 20, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $285.9K
Runtime: 2h 25m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Digital 2.39:1

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