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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.

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The Middle of the World

Critics Reviews

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Michael Atkinson Village Voice 03/30/2004
A true Brazilian story of vague human-interest value ... gets a heavy-handed treatment. Go to Full Review Stephen Holden New York Times 03/25/2004
2/5
Wants to be both a realistic family drama and a mythical odyssey but lacks the substance to be much more than a vignette. Go to Full Review Marta Barber Miami Herald 06/17/2005
2.5/4
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. Go to Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews 06/30/2004
2/4
...the problem is, it's not terribly interesting. Go to Full Review Gabe Leibowitz Film and Felt 04/13/2004
3/4
A moving coming-of-age story that invokes memories of films such as Pixote (with significantly less violence) and The Bicycle Thief. Go to Full Review Ethan Alter TV Guide 04/09/2004
3/5
Although the territory it covers is familiar, this Brazilian import, based on a true story, has its heart in the right place. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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06/03/2013 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. See more raphael g @raphagimenes 05/04/2013 It's nice. Not like Central do Brasil or the best Brazilian movies out there, but still a worthy effort. See more 01/03/2012 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!! See more 02/16/2011 it was very interesting, but don't remember the details.. See more 07/19/2010 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. See more 03/08/2010 3 star because of Wagner Moura. See more Read all reviews
The Middle of the World

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Cast & Crew

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Vicente Amorim

Director

Cláudia Abreu

Rose

Wagner Moura

Romão

Ravi Ramos Lacerda

Antônio

Sidney Magal

Panamá

Felipe Newton Silva Rodrigues

Clevis

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The Middle of the World

The Middle of the World (2003) The Middle of the World (2003) View more photos

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
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