I loved this film. The dialogues are wonderful and the story itself is amusing as we see J.César Monteiro in one of his best performances. The script has wonderful dialogues and is filled with bright and irreverent humour (a quality of Cesar Monteiro's writting). It's the story of an old-man (João Vuvu played by João César Monteiro) who has a son in jail and lives alone..strange events takes place as he goes to the hospital after being sodomized by a a very weird beard woman who fancies women. This is the last film by João César Monteiro because he left us this year at february..another victim of cancer..this film holds his memory.
10 Reviews
A Farewell to life itself
Tiago_Pratas2 November 2005
João César Monteiro, as always, in all is movies, showed a great disregard for conventions. Branca De Neve was a good example of that, Vai e Vem is also a good example of that.
Considered a madman by some and a fraud by others, is attempts to create movies that were at the same time groundbreaking and interesting were always misunderstood.
One of the greatest and most underrated Portuguese Directors of all time, no doubt about that.
Now one thing is, if you are not from Lisbon, or if you never visited Lisbon, you won't ever understand this movie. Because this lives out from the feeling that Lisboa is... I see this as an ode to the things that João Cesar Monteiro found dearest to him. Almost a farewell to life itself, and since this was Monteiro's last film, this is revealed to be true.
The last shot of the movie is the strangest thing I've seen ever in cinema. And you can take many conclusions out of it. Maybe he's trying to invert the papers, watching the spectators as they are watching him. Saying goodbye to the people that admired is work for decades.
Just like all the good things, you need to have a developed sense of inner-depth, to stomach this. Or else you're just going to quit after the first 2 minutes.
This is a unique film-maker, this is a unique film. If you don't appreciate you can always go watch, Scary Movie or some Meg Ryan movie. There's no problem with that.
Considered a madman by some and a fraud by others, is attempts to create movies that were at the same time groundbreaking and interesting were always misunderstood.
One of the greatest and most underrated Portuguese Directors of all time, no doubt about that.
Now one thing is, if you are not from Lisbon, or if you never visited Lisbon, you won't ever understand this movie. Because this lives out from the feeling that Lisboa is... I see this as an ode to the things that João Cesar Monteiro found dearest to him. Almost a farewell to life itself, and since this was Monteiro's last film, this is revealed to be true.
The last shot of the movie is the strangest thing I've seen ever in cinema. And you can take many conclusions out of it. Maybe he's trying to invert the papers, watching the spectators as they are watching him. Saying goodbye to the people that admired is work for decades.
Just like all the good things, you need to have a developed sense of inner-depth, to stomach this. Or else you're just going to quit after the first 2 minutes.
This is a unique film-maker, this is a unique film. If you don't appreciate you can always go watch, Scary Movie or some Meg Ryan movie. There's no problem with that.
Last breath, last look.
Omphali24 June 2003
Light, peaceful, wickedly erudite humour of a kind long since unheard of. A Portuguese film from a Portuguese film maker. A film about "everydayness" and availability to be aroused by others and by their words. An experience of declined immortality for the sake of life.
Unique! It's life! (possible spoilers, but I don't think so...)
Imhereandthatsall31 May 2007
More than the fact that this is a filmed testament from the dying director, this movie is a lesson of life. Life and cinema showed by someone who knew both very well. It's not a lesson of moral, things are sometimes weird, so this is a complete, pertinent, not hiding anything, and leading us to all kind of enjoyment. Pleasure and contemplation are always showed with a kind of nostalgia. Also, some plans are really interesting to watch and shows a way of filming, and of seeing life very difficult to show (except in painting). Playing with different factors, (rhythm, time, some objects) it's showing this Beyond all objectivity, or with an objectivity beyond objects... Monteiro is playing with our senses...
I agree it can be difficult to watch, because it's long, slow, without a lot of cuts, neither a lot of movements, everything is done with long plans. But all that is the rhythm of an old guy watching life, and having his last pleasures, and taking time to have it. It's an ode to life in all its ways. I've never written any comments on this sites (only on message boards) but I had to write something about this one. This movie is really special and intense, (and in a soft way, what is strange...).
Until the last plan which put the character, the director, and us to eternity... (I won't say more about this plan, but it has to be seen...)
I agree it can be difficult to watch, because it's long, slow, without a lot of cuts, neither a lot of movements, everything is done with long plans. But all that is the rhythm of an old guy watching life, and having his last pleasures, and taking time to have it. It's an ode to life in all its ways. I've never written any comments on this sites (only on message boards) but I had to write something about this one. This movie is really special and intense, (and in a soft way, what is strange...).
Until the last plan which put the character, the director, and us to eternity... (I won't say more about this plan, but it has to be seen...)
Little Prince
sjmvc2 March 2016
I saw this movie one year and half ago... When I saw, i give 1 star, and now, after all this time, I gave another's 4 stars.. Its a movie like the book Little Prince, you have to grow to understand, and get the knowledge to realize what its the main problem there, and after that, you will see the pain behind the movie... Its a movie to see every 3 years, and every time you will change your perspective about this magnificent piece of art. Its a slow movie, but once you get the reason and love from the characters, the slow begin to feel faster that you want your life to be. It was the mirror of many old people that feel left from their family, and after all they give for us, we felt them. I love the movie, and most the message.
Everything comes and goes back again
Pedro_Duarte5 February 2005
This is a very interesting film, but I'm afraid only a Portuguese person from Lisbon can fully understand it's unique feeling.
João Cesar Monteiro died, and this film are his final words.
"Vai e Vem" is art of a man who knows he's near his end. João Vuvu is João César Monteiro dying, like he's capable of touching death. There's nothing similar to this state. Everything comes and goes back again.
In this film, JCM humor is different. There's an even bigger amount of sadness in it.
Wonderfuly heavy.
However, it's hard to watch and probably boring if you're not in the mood, or if you're not able to understand it.
João Cesar Monteiro died, and this film are his final words.
"Vai e Vem" is art of a man who knows he's near his end. João Vuvu is João César Monteiro dying, like he's capable of touching death. There's nothing similar to this state. Everything comes and goes back again.
In this film, JCM humor is different. There's an even bigger amount of sadness in it.
Wonderfuly heavy.
However, it's hard to watch and probably boring if you're not in the mood, or if you're not able to understand it.
Great movie-legacy
bob-bubsky14 February 2014
Amazing movie. It flows in a peculiar way. There are, from the very start of the movie, shots of him going about his daily life and you have the opportunity to see glimpses of Lisbon through these commonplace trips. The movie is sprinkled with bits of humor here and there but what really makes the movie is the sheer atmosphere of it. Even more than in other movies of his, there is a very enthralling meditative aspect to it. It is more of an inner voyage that only Monteiro would have been able to depict. You will certainly love it. Just don't expect mainstream Hollywood nonsense; this is a different universe altogether.
monumentally boring and painfully long
littlesiddie7 December 2003
This movie is a complete waste of time. The whole thing consists of endless static shots of the writer/director/star, Monteiro, spouting witty sounding or profound sounding gibberish.
Every now and then Monteiro minces around, quasi-adorably, like a wizened little Portuguese Nosferatu.
To sustain audience interest and to presumably show what exquisite taste he has, Monteiro places a young nubile Latina hottie in the shot, and allows her to listen in rapt attention while he spouts off endlessly. All I can say is, I certainly hope she was paid well for what must surely have been the sheerest torture.
The only redeeming qualities to this film were a couple nice musical numbers on the soundtrack and the beautiful outside location shots of Lisbon.
I've seen one other of Monteiro's movies, "God's Comedy", and that had similar problems, but not as bad as "Vai E Vem".
Much is made of the fact that this was Monteiro's last film before he died in 2003. It seems pretty clear from the hugely self absorbed and self indulgent character of this film that it constitutes more of a curse than a blessing on the world he was leaving behind.
Every now and then Monteiro minces around, quasi-adorably, like a wizened little Portuguese Nosferatu.
To sustain audience interest and to presumably show what exquisite taste he has, Monteiro places a young nubile Latina hottie in the shot, and allows her to listen in rapt attention while he spouts off endlessly. All I can say is, I certainly hope she was paid well for what must surely have been the sheerest torture.
The only redeeming qualities to this film were a couple nice musical numbers on the soundtrack and the beautiful outside location shots of Lisbon.
I've seen one other of Monteiro's movies, "God's Comedy", and that had similar problems, but not as bad as "Vai E Vem".
Much is made of the fact that this was Monteiro's last film before he died in 2003. It seems pretty clear from the hugely self absorbed and self indulgent character of this film that it constitutes more of a curse than a blessing on the world he was leaving behind.
God Awful!
FilmDiva610 March 2005
I had to see this film because my Film History 2 professor made us watch it. My professor told us that he had just come across Joao and he loved this film and he loves all of the films he has seen by him. I have no idea why though. In my opinion this was three hours of nonsense. I sat there confused the entire time. The only thing I understood about the plot was the part about his son and even that has it's holes. I also think he is kind of a copy cat because I saw many of the same sexual things that Godard did in his films. In fact, by the end of this film I felt like I had just finished watching a Godard film. I came out of class feeling confused and disgusted. I do not recommend this film to anyone unless they love Extremely slow moving films, subtitles, and a completely confusing plot. The other reason I found this film hard to watch was because it was in Portuguese and I speak some Castillion Spanish so that combined with the English subtitles drove me nuts. I think most people won't find this a problem, but I did. Again I do not recommend this to anyone. I thought the independent film "The Item" was the worst movie I had ever seen, but then I saw this one. I hope this saves a lot of people from the same torture I had to endure.
difficult to watch
doerte_s17 July 2003
Great were my expectations when I went to watch this film, because the Portuguese film critics were writing wonderful things about it. And how disappointed did I get! Sixty six shots in three hours and and nothing new. The film is nothing but an old man's fantasizing with young servants.
Monteiro has always had a very special approach to filmmaking, and he has his place in Portuguese film history, but that doesn't make this movie any better. What a pity.
Monteiro has always had a very special approach to filmmaking, and he has his place in Portuguese film history, but that doesn't make this movie any better. What a pity.
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