The Boys from Brazil: Rise of the Bolsonaros
2022
Original language: English
- documentary
The story
The remarkable rise of one of the world’s most controversial leaders, Jair Bolsonaro, from obscurity to the presidency of Brazil.
What it’s like
Sober, interview-led political documentary: people speaking directly to the camera in plain rooms, with archival footage of rallies, press conferences and campaign trail filling the gaps. The mood is watchful and argumentative rather than atmospheric, with a steady, unhurried pace that lets commentary build on itself. Its register is news-adjacent and analytical, cool and skeptical toward its subject, with tension coming from contested claims and the faces of people who have a stake in the story rather than from music or staging. The intensity is political, not physical: there is shouting, hostility and alarm in the crowd footage, but little graphic violence and nothing built to shock. It suits an evening when you want to understand how a surprise election happened, or a weekend of binge viewing where you are in the mood to argue with the screen. Best for viewers who like documentary-as-inquiry, who follow current affairs and want the backstory of a contested political rise, and who are comfortable with partisan voices presented side by side and left to clash.
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