Aya Arcos (2014) User Reviews

Brazilian tale of love across the generations that takes its time

[t-dooley-69-386916 · 5/10 · 2 March 2016]

Fabio is a hustler who works the streets of Rio and he meets Eduardo who is much older and also a writer. They start a relationship but have issues around the use of protection, commitment and choices of friends let alone 'career'.

Now that is about it, the subject of STI's is dealt with in an interesting way and there are side issues with one of Fabio's friends. However, not a lot happens here. It is a small budget affair – filmed in real apartments etc – and some of the shots were really tasteful but that can not detract from the glaring lack of a real plot. The characters are actually acted fairly well and there is a genuine feeling of warmth here but that of itself is not really enough.

This is not a keeper as such – you may wish to rent as I did but there is very little here to make you a fan. Also very little in the form of 'bedroom action' if that is your thing, so not one I can really recommend unless you have to see everything 'gay' related that comes out and you may find something to like here.

LGBT story of love in Brazil

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 11 October 2017]

SPOILERS **** Aya Arcos shows the daily interactions between Eduardo, and Fabio, a young, local prostitute who becomes more than that. Sparse script, sparse music, sparse action. A lot of sitting around, talking. Much discussion about safe sex versus un-safe sex. Eduardo is a (moody) Brazilian writer, and he vacillates on what he wants at any one moment. Starts out quite slow, gets quite dark in the middle, then picks up . One character finds out that he is HIV positive, and must face up to what comes next. There is SO little talk between the characters in the first half that sometimes its hard to figure out what's going on, or how they are feeling. Eduardo doesn't seem to get along with Fabio's "friends", and it seems the feeling is mutual. And we never do find out why one character disappears suddenly... was it due to someone else's HIV results?? In lieu of any other information, I assume this is what we are supposed to think. There is one quick scene of Fabio either working at a job, or on a prison detail. I guess knowing the local customs would have been a help there. This seems to be the only project from writer/director Max Moll. Script needed zinging up or something, but gets much better in the second half. Subtitles seem to be good, but as I don't know any Portuguese, I guess I don't really know. It's also too bad the characters aren't matched to the actor's names in the credits. Worth watching, but I wish they had started developing the characters a little earlier in the film. Available on DVD.

Too amateur.

[nandomeurer · 3/10 · 13 February 2020]

The film has an interesting story, but the script is too simple, does not go deep into some issues, leaving some holes. In addition, the film is too amateurish, especially on technical issues. For example, the sound is almost inaudible in various dialogues of the characters, as the sound of the surrounding environment is captured rather than the speech of the characters. The actors also leave something to be desired, their interpretations are too artificial and mechanical, lacking spontaneity. Anyway, it is worth watching Aya Arcos and drawing your own conclusions.

Delivers more than anticipated; a Brazilian gem

[haldunarmagan · 7/10 · 8 June 2017]

This is a nice movie, offers surprisingly good acting and builds multi layer story very successfully despite some setbacks with its minimal budget. Director Maximilian Moll does a wonderful job to develop a story on prejudice, love, companion, sacrifice, and impact on social values on lifestyle choices. I think, presenting this movie as story of a street hustler and his long-time customer does injustice to the multi-layered scenario. My five star goes to Daniel Passi particularly, who delivers tour de force performance reflecting complexities of a hustler who struggles between his personal emotions and real-life facts. A small gem from Brazil cinema.

Lovely film

[laduqesa · 7/10 · 11 September 2020]

An older, overweight writer meets a street rentboy and they fall in love. That much we know from the plot outline. But there's more to it than that. There are issues of freedom, jealousy, friends, safer sex and the future.

I've lived this scenario and the dialogue as shown in the subtitles reflects reality. So do the interactions, frustrations, quarrels and problems with friends. As a portrait of an older, insecure man, this was a tour de force - it's the young guy who is making the running and supporting his client/lover.

I also liked the appearance of Edu's fag hag friend who didn't dispense wisdom but had a sympathetic ear.

Can this relationship survive its pressures? It's certainly possible as I can testify, although relationships change and evolve. I'm not going to make this a "spoiler" review, so what I can say is that this is a worthy 80 minutes to spend on a film to find out.