A Dog's Will
2000 · Directed by Guel Arraes
Original language: Portuguese
- comedy
- drama
- fantasy
- romance
The story
The lively João Grilo and the sly Chicó are poor guys living in the hinterland who cheat a bunch of people in a small town in Northeastern Brazil. When they die, they have to be judged by Christ, the Devil and the Virgin Mary before they are admitted to paradise.
What it’s like
Warm, sun-baked sertão light and bright, saturated Brazilian color give A Dog's Will the feel of a folk festival crossed with a rowdy stage play, with a camera that moves briskly through dusty village streets, church interiors and courtrooms and lets its actors' faces carry the frame. The sound is lively: accordion and regional music, bursts of gently absurd slapstick, and a playful sense of ritual. The vibe is bittersweet and mischievous, a comedy with a sharp edge of social satire and a tender undertow, best suited to a lazy afternoon, a comfort watch with friends, or a relaxed evening when you want to laugh and still feel something. The pacing is brisk and episodic, built around quick exchanges and escalating schemes, and its emotional arc follows two scrappy friends whose cleverness is tested by faith, mortality and the hard truths of poverty. Intensity is mild: there is some comic violence and a couple of deaths, handled with more farce than gore, and little sexual content. It is for viewers who enjoy witty, theatrical comedies with a heart, rooted in folklore and Brazilian humor.
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