What becomes interesting is how Ace and Wallace, who have managed to stay outside the violence for the most part, start to get pulled in once they uncover information about their fathers.
Comment
03/01/08
City of Men (2008)
75
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:76
Fresh:57
Rotten:19
Average Rating:6.7/10
Consensus: Brutal and unflinching, City of Men is both a harrowing look at Brazil's favela life, and a touching tale of youths rushed into adulthood.
Theatrical Release:Feb 29, 2008 Limited
Box Office: $242,655
Synopsis: Director Fernando Meirelles scored an unexpected hit with his disquieting 2003 feature CITY OF GOD. Subsequent years saw plenty of similar fare emerging from Brazil, and Meirelles even lent a hand... [More]
Starring: Darlan Cunha, Douglas Silva, Jonathan Haagensen, Rodrigo Dos Santos
Director: Paulo Morelli
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Reviews for City of Men
City of Men tells a multilayered story coherently, with propulsive action and a naturalistic nod to the fact that so much of the world is a violent place.
02/28/08
Top CriticPaulo Morelli mines old territory in yet another ode to Rio's vivid favelas.
02/27/08
City of Men is an intriguing but incompletely developed heir to the far superior City of God.
02/29/08
Morelli's film is most effective at its most documentarian, when it focuses on street detail and the casual, everyday behavior of the people inside the desperate favelas.
03/07/08
It's not the gangsters we're interested in this time around, and gunfire just feels awkward in the midst of a more conventional example of world cinema.
02/29/08
Despite considerable dramatic interest, Morelli's loose, lengthy structure makes it a labor to hang in with.
07/05/08
It's all perfectly serviceable -- but it wants for freshness and vitality.
10/18/08
[One] plotline ends with a twist that doubtless felt more authentic in the halls of a film school than it would on the streets of Rio de Janeiro.
03/16/08
More bronzed bodies bearing arms leading to inevitable shootouts delivered via a washed-out, hand-held digital style pulsing along to an infectious Latin beat.
04/02/08
Perhaps it's unfair to consider Morelli's film against Meirelles': You might as well compare a company newsletter to Candide.
02/28/08
Similar to City of God, though on a slightly lesser scale, City of Men presents a plot that is equally tragic and exciting.
02/29/08
This film isn't as bracingly vibrant as Fernando Meirelles' City of God (2002), which featured many of the same cast and crew. But it's a grippingly entertaining story.
02/28/08
A gripping companion piece to the Oscar-nominated 2002 gangster masterpiece City of God.
02/28/08
Top CriticThough the histrionics of City of Men are a bit obvious, and it lacks the bravado of City of God, it's ultimately a more rewarding film.
02/29/08
Top CriticOur investment in their plight is ultimately enough to withstand the contrivance of the plot thread that tightens and tests the young men's relationship.
02/29/08
Top CriticSome might perceive City of Men as a slow film, while others could reasonably argue that Morelli is taking more time to develop characters.
03/25/08
A brilliant piece of filmmaking in the way it contrasts the beauty of Rio de Janeiro with the violence that affects the lives of the teens living in the city's favelas.
02/27/08
City of Men is more like New Jack City, telling a similarly themed tale with less artistic finesse or dramatic insight, but with some emotional resonance.
02/29/08
Works pretty well as melodrama against a legitimately dramatic backdrop.
02/28/08
Latest News for City of Men
February 28, 2008:
Exclusive Photos: City of God Sequel City of Men
Two young men struggle to stay afloat amid the drugs, violence, and poverty of Brazil's slums in the big-screen spin-off of Fernando Meirelles' critically acclaimed 2002 film,... More...
February 28, 2008:
Critics Consensus: Semi-Pro is Semi-Good, Boleyn Girl Not Quite Movie Royalty
This week at the movies, we've got hapless hoopsters, snouted socialites, and scandalous siblings. What do the critics have to say? More...
November 23, 2007:
Trailer & Poster review 
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