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The Middle of the World

Play trailer Poster for The Middle of the World 2003 1h 25m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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58% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 56% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
An unemployed truck driver (Wagner Moura) and his family bicycle nearly 2,000 miles across Brazil to find a job that pays a decent salary.

Critics Reviews

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Michael Atkinson Village Voice A true Brazilian story of vague human-interest value ... gets a heavy-handed treatment. Mar 30, 2004 Full Review Stephen Holden New York Times Wants to be both a realistic family drama and a mythical odyssey but lacks the substance to be much more than a vignette. Rated: 2/5 Mar 25, 2004 Full Review Marta Barber Miami Herald Where Middle of the World becomes more appealing is in showing life along the less-traveled roads of Brazil, a landscape of beauty and poverty, nomad lives and basic instincts in a determination to make the best of a lurid existence. Rated: 2.5/4 Jun 17, 2005 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...the problem is, it's not terribly interesting. Rated: 2/4 Jun 30, 2004 Full Review Gabe Leibowitz Film and Felt A moving coming-of-age story that invokes memories of films such as Pixote (with significantly less violence) and The Bicycle Thief. Rated: 3/4 Apr 13, 2004 Full Review Ethan Alter TV Guide Although the territory it covers is familiar, this Brazilian import, based on a true story, has its heart in the right place. Rated: 3/5 Apr 9, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (29) audience reviews
Audience Member A good Brazilian movie that never got a good distribution deal. It looks like it was well hated by critics and users alike. I am a fan. It is an interesting slice of Brazil outside of the bit cities and a hugely rewarding experience. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review raphael g It's nice. Not like Central do Brasil or the best Brazilian movies out there, but still a worthy effort. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Could be I was in one of those philosophical, self-reflecting moods when watching this, but O Caminho das Nuvens, is probably one of the most moving movies I've seen to date! The Middle of the World is a very unusual road trip movie invoking questions and emotions of family dynamics, gender roles, the expectations of manhood and an almost Epicureanism on what happiness truly is as well as the at times unspoken conflict many Christians have in their faith and the pressures of daily life. There were times in the movie I wanted to dismiss the story and the characters, purely out of too strong a sense of connection, but the words "based on a true story" in the opening credits made it extremely difficult. You're left wanting to leave the story but wanting to see the story through to its very end hoping, no, praying that the family survive the hardship and make it to the promise land!! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member it was very interesting, but don't remember the details.. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member An excellent film, based on a true story. Shot mainly in the arid northeast of Brazil, it hows how a poor family toughs it out not so much against the elements, but life in general. A poignant Brazilian interpretation of what it means to be a breadwinner, a good wife, a loyal son. If you liked Walter Salles' "Central Station Brazil" or Dev Benegal's "Road, Movie" then you will also like this one. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member 3 star because of Wagner Moura. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Middle of the World

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The Middle of the World

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Movie Info

Synopsis An unemployed truck driver (Wagner Moura) and his family bicycle nearly 2,000 miles across Brazil to find a job that pays a decent salary.
Director
Vicente Amorim
Producer
Lucy Barreto, Luiz Carlos Barreto
Screenwriter
David França Mendes
Production Co
Globo Filmes
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Brazilian Portuguese
Release Date (DVD)
Mar 21, 2006
Runtime
1h 25m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital