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Heleno

  • Film
  • 1 out of 5 stars
Rodrigo Santoro, far left, in Heleno
Rodrigo Santoro, far left, in Heleno
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Time Out says

1 out of 5 stars

José Henrique Fonseca’s portrait of tempestuous Brazilian footballer Heleno de Freitas (Rodrigo Santoro) should be studied in film school—not as an exemplar but as a cautionary tale. From its flash-forward framing sequence to its glossy black and white images, the film emulates Raging Bull in nearly every particular, while failing to capture even a sliver of that tortured-soul sports-movie’s insight or visceral power. Although the newspaper clippings stuck to De Freitas’s wall attest to his erstwhile fame, Santoro’s soccer superstar comes off as a vainglorious boor, with little onscreen evidence of the skill that would have made him celebrated, or even tolerable.

Follow Sam Adams on Twitter: @SamuelAAdams

Written by Sam Adams
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