City of God (2003)

So check it: Cidade de Deus is one of the most depressing films I have ever seen. In the top 5 all-time most depressing films (just watched High Fidelity, bear with me) it goes:

1. Schindler's List

2. Requiem for a Dream

3. City of God

4. American History X

5. Sophie's Choice

The last one is only on there because I was annoyed I wasted two perfectly good hours on that movie to hear Meryl Streep mumble in a Polish accent and watch Kevin Kline act like a schizo. I'm not even going to tell you her "choice". You want to know? You sit through it.

City of God is depressing in that whole "this is the dark underbelly of life" kind of way. A boy grows up surrounded by abject poverty, death and drugs in one of the worst slums known to man. (Question: Can you have a good ghetto?) There is systemic corruption and no effort to make a lasting change, leading to an endless cycle of violence. Kids in the favela dream of one day getting out and making it to Rio proper where they can work as a lifeguard in one of the fancy resorts.

Yep, their dream is your worst summer-between-junior-and-senior-year job. Doctor...lawyer... these aren't even fantasies for these kids.

Psychopaths abound with ready access to guns and zero oversight. Get ready to see children kill over petty offenses. Even more depressing: it was based on a true story written by Paulo Lins, who managed to get out and become a successful writer. The good news is that his main character is one of the only two likable ones in the movie, and he lives! (It's hard to write a set of memoirs if you get shot before puberty.)

Ugh, it really was one of the most bleak movies I've seen in a while. I would never have picked this one on my own. The beau insisted. Apparently, he is one of those lofty types who watch movies in order to be better informed about the world around him. Bless his heart.

I just want to see stuff blown up real good. So this movie gets the Hated It tag, just because I like hyperbole. If you've been feeling like life is too good or if you've never turned on the news, I would recommend this movie.