City of God

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City of God

R

Released Jan 17, 2003

2h 11m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

165 Reviews

97%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

In the poverty-stricken favelas of Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s, two young men choose different paths. Rocket (Phellipe Haagensen) is a budding photographer who documents the increasing drug-related violence of his neighborhood. José "Zé" Pequeno (Douglas Silva) is an ambitious drug dealer who uses Rocket and his photos as a way to increase his fame as a turf war erupts with his rival, "Knockout Ned" (Leandro Firmino da Hora). The film was shot on location in Rio's poorest neighborhoods.

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Critics Consensus

City of God offers a shocking and disturbing -- but always compelling -- look at life in the slums of Rio de Janiero.

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Anupama Chopra

Film Companion

What makes City of God so breathtaking is director Fernando Meirelles' passion for these people - he gives us the color, the music and the humor...

Dec 30, 2019

Full Review

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

I came away from this film impressed by its narrative control but unmoved by anything it had to say.

Nov 8, 2011

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Powerful, but only for 17 and up.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 22, 2010

Full Review

Paul Emmanuel Enicola

Movie-Blogger.com

A stark depiction of life outside the city: terrifying, unsettling, but never losing the sense of comedy.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 24, 2024

Full Review

Blake Howard

One Heat Minute

“A gateway drug to world cinema … aesthetically pure… the world was bigger after I watched City of God.”

Rated: 4/4

Feb 13, 2023

Full Review

Ray Pride

Newcity

What is the value of human life? And why are we so reckless with the fate of the youth of the world?

Rated: 7/10

Aug 18, 2022

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Guilherme F

Uma Masterpiece nacional

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/18/25

Full Review

Guilherme W

uma brutal ideia ao representar o ciclo do crime em regiões do Brasil, uma experiência única, quase obrigatória, porém as vezes com um exagero de brutalidade.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/10/25

Full Review

kirbt c

Filme bom da porra. Vale super a pena assistir.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/09/25

Full Review

William B

Good message, bad delivery.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/28/24

Full Review

Wendel L

Direção: Bom Atuação: Bom Roteiro: Bom Caracterização: Ok Soundtrack: Ok

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/14/24

Full Review

Luca S

J'ai mis du temps à le regarder mais quel film. A voir absolument

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/21/24

Full Review

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Fernando Meirelles

Director

Alexandre Rodrigues

Buscapé - Rocket

Leandro Firmino

Zé Pequeno - Li'l Zé

Phellipe Haagensen

Benê - Benny

Douglas Silva

Dadinho - Li'l Dice

Jonathan Haagensen

Cabeleira - Shaggy

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Synopsis

In the poverty-stricken favelas of Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s, two young men choose different paths. Rocket (Phellipe Haagensen) is a budding photographer who documents the increasing drug-related violence of his neighborhood. José "Zé" Pequeno (Douglas Silva) is an ambitious drug dealer who uses Rocket and his photos as a way to increase his fame as a turf war erupts with his rival, "Knockout Ned" (Leandro Firmino da Hora). The film was shot on location in Rio's poorest neighborhoods.

Director: Fernando Meirelles
Producer: Andrea Barata Ribeiro, Mauricio Andrade Ramos
Screenwriter: Bráulio Mantovani, Paulo Lins
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: StudioCanal, Videofilmes, Hank Levine Film, O2 Filmes, Lereby, Lumiere Productions, Globo Filmes, Wild Bunch
Rating: R (Language|Drug Content|Sexuality|Strong Brutal Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: Brazilian Portuguese
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 17, 2003, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 17, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $7.6M
Runtime: 2h 11m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo

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