A passion project with political implications that span far past its borders and setting, the Best Picture Oscar-nominated "I'm Not Here" spins a quiet tale of oppression that spawns desperation.
Based on the Marcelo Rubens Pavia memoir, Director Walter Salles tells the true story of Rubens Paiva (Selton Mello), a political dissident who was allegedly captured and murdered by the authoritarian Brazilian government in 1970.
In powerhouse turns, Fernanda Torres and Fernanda Montenegro play Eunice Pavia, Rubens' wife, who is left scrambling to hold her family together while searching for answers.
Told with urgency and pragmatism, Salles' film revels in small slice-of-life moments that establish the flavor of what it was like to live in Brazil amid such turmoil. Salles' ear and eye for establishing tone flourish, helping lift many scenes to more than the sum of their parts.
The film is gorgeously shot and emotionally moving, but also somewhat draining and labored. Some sharper edits might have solidified the message and tightened the meandering narrative.
"I'm Not Here" is well worth seeing not only for Oscars completionists, but those who appreciate full-figured historical tone pieces. The film hits closer than ever to home, given the current political climate. "I'm Not Here" hits with brute force, just as intended.
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