O Vendedor de Passados (2015) User Reviews

An Original and Witty Tale for Believers of Love

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 9 August 2017]

Vicente (Lázaro Ramos) is a man that was raised by his stepfather and stepmother but he does not know anything about his origins. He creates pasts for troubled people as a means of living the same way he has invented different stories about how his foster parents have adopted him. When a mysterious woman (Alinne Moraes) arrives at his home office, she asks him to create the story of her life without giving any information about her. Vicente creates the character Clara Ortega and two months later, he gives her past and they have one night stand. Clara vanishes during the night and Vicente does not see her again. Months later, Vicente sees Clara interviewed on the TV News about the self-biographic book she will release with her story. Vicente goes to the bookstore to meet Clara and has a cold reception. Whar will happen next?

"O Vendedor de Passados" (meaning "The Seller of Pasts") is a Brazilian low-budget film with an original and witty tale about a man that creates pasts for clients and himself. The story and the screenplay are very well written and the viewer will never know what has really happen to Vicente and Clara. Lázaro Ramos and Alinne Moraes have great performances and the Brazilian DVD has English subtitles. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Vendedor de Passados" ("The Seller of Pasts")

Cannot be deemed a masterpiece but worth watching

[devanirg · 7/10 · 27 September 2015]

I was originally attracted to this movie by the unusual plot (never heard of another movie dealing with someone's past before) and thought that it would be some sort of sci-fi movie but I was pleasantly surprised that it is not.

The script is not error prone. The movie does lacks rhythm at times. However, Lazaro is a superb actor and Alinne does her job very well too.

In summary, it is well worth the short (~1h) plot - after disregarding the countless producers, supporting companies and everyone else that just takes forever at the beginning of every Brazilian movie. As a Brazilian I just feel like I'm paying for it every time I watch a Brazilian movie (and as a matter of fact myself and most Brazilians are, as many of these supporters are state companies or banks). Nevertheless I just felt that money was well spent in this one.

Creative script

[gustavojensen-98259 · 6/10 · 21 September 2022]

We see great performance by Lázaro Ramos and alinne Moraes, just as every cast does a good job.

In a very original theme "salesman of pasts" a photographer who creates and or changes what the person has already lived, Vicente always had clients who wanted to erase something from memory, until he met the mysterious client that his only request about his new past would be the commission of a crime.

The script goes very well that throughout the film we see that whoever does not have his past would be Vicente ( Lázaro Ramos ) , the launch of the book of clara ( alinne moraes ) that Vicente created and the end would be just what was in his imagination. Clara remains a puzzle of person throughout the film even when she goes to bed with the passionate photographer .

I just missed not seeing any results for the possible problem of the book containing events and existing people who never went through Clara's life, and cinematographic shots are not very repetitive in the direction.

Innovative and underrated!

[guisreis · 8/10 · 10 May 2022]

Very underrated and innovative film! With good acting and excellent script, it plays with multiple realities, just as the unusual job of Lázaro Ramos's character, which perhaps says more about him than about his customers. Definitely worth watching!

"you believe in everything"...

[RosanaBotafogo · 8/10 · 2 September 2022]

Lázaro and Aline are great, I love these national films that escape the commonplace, this boring slapstick comedy, a super passionate plot, seller of the past, I never imagined something like this, innovative, differentiated, adorable, thought-provoking and with dry, healthy humor , which I always love... A wonderful return to the past, in the photos, in the images, in the reports, in the ambiance, in the old letters and even in Topogigio, innovative, differentiated, adorable, thought-provoking and with a dry, healthy humor, that delights of time travel... Vicente Garrido creates and sells pasts to those who feel, for whatever reason, dissatisfied with their own lives. Adaptation of the homonymous novel by the Angolan writer José Eduardo Agualusa (I love this poet)... Adorable ending "you believe in everything"...