I went to see a movie called Elegy at 12:15 pm show in Amsterdam and realized that it was running only at 1:30 pm; instantly browsed the list of movies and selected this strange looking name Estomago - I thought it was Italian, later realized it was Portuguese. Never knew the meaning till writing this review it means Stomach.
Nonato (Joao Miguel) comes to Sao Paulo city without any work; after eating food and with no money with him to pay for food, he lands up being hired as a helper cook in a small roadside restaurant. His skills in cooking delicious food with simple things make him hired by a rich high-end restaurant owner Giovanni (Carlo Briani). Nonato falls in love with a prostitute Iria (Fabiula Nascimento), but one day when he sees Iria and Giovanni having sex, his jealously leads him to kill both and Nonato ends up in prison. In prison cell with seven other inmates and headed by Bujiu (Babu Santana), Nonato starts at the lowest hierarchy sleeping without mattress on the floor. But his skills in cooking excellent food promotes him till the highest bumk bed below Bujiu. How he topples Bujiu to get the highest bunk bed formulates the ending of the story.
The story runs in parallel narrative of Nonato's work and prison and till the very end one does not realize that which precedes which? This is director Marcos Jorge's second movie and first full length feature film. He tempers the narrative with great acumen of seasoned director fantastic story idea (adopted partly from a short story the prison part) and remaining written partly by Marcos himself in a team. Brilliant work in creating a screenplay that is laced with various moods, emotions, and cooking and food lessons.
Joao Miguel plays this innocent, dumb wit cook, and creates magic in filling true life in the character. Those moments in the film when nothing is happening Joao captures our imagination as a simpleton with a talent. Fabiula, fits perfectly as the road side food hungry prostitute. The remaining casting is good and performs well.
The movie is marketed as a fable and it seems appropriate because of its story and ingredients of sex, love, power, food.
I would highly recommend this movie to any movie goer who is hungry for good cinema.
(Stars 8 out of 10)
Nonato (Joao Miguel) comes to Sao Paulo city without any work; after eating food and with no money with him to pay for food, he lands up being hired as a helper cook in a small roadside restaurant. His skills in cooking delicious food with simple things make him hired by a rich high-end restaurant owner Giovanni (Carlo Briani). Nonato falls in love with a prostitute Iria (Fabiula Nascimento), but one day when he sees Iria and Giovanni having sex, his jealously leads him to kill both and Nonato ends up in prison. In prison cell with seven other inmates and headed by Bujiu (Babu Santana), Nonato starts at the lowest hierarchy sleeping without mattress on the floor. But his skills in cooking excellent food promotes him till the highest bumk bed below Bujiu. How he topples Bujiu to get the highest bunk bed formulates the ending of the story.
The story runs in parallel narrative of Nonato's work and prison and till the very end one does not realize that which precedes which? This is director Marcos Jorge's second movie and first full length feature film. He tempers the narrative with great acumen of seasoned director fantastic story idea (adopted partly from a short story the prison part) and remaining written partly by Marcos himself in a team. Brilliant work in creating a screenplay that is laced with various moods, emotions, and cooking and food lessons.
Joao Miguel plays this innocent, dumb wit cook, and creates magic in filling true life in the character. Those moments in the film when nothing is happening Joao captures our imagination as a simpleton with a talent. Fabiula, fits perfectly as the road side food hungry prostitute. The remaining casting is good and performs well.
The movie is marketed as a fable and it seems appropriate because of its story and ingredients of sex, love, power, food.
I would highly recommend this movie to any movie goer who is hungry for good cinema.
(Stars 8 out of 10)