User Reviews

In São Paulo, the 15 year-old Hermano "Mano" (Francisco Miguez) and his 17 year-old sensitive brother Pedro (Fiuk) are deeply affected by the destruction of their middle-class family when his father Horácio (José Carlos Machado) leaves their mother Camila (Denise Fraga). Mano is still virgin and has a crush on Valéria, an easy girl that studies in his class, while Pedro is in love with Bia for whom he has promised eternal love. When Mano and Pedro find that their father is gay and that he is the adviser of his new mate Gustavo (Gustavo Machado), they feel their world torn apart. Mano's best friend is Carol (Gabriela Rocha), who has a crush one their Physics teacher Artur (Caio Blat), and they share their secrets. In their upper-class high-school, the schoolmates are afraid of the destructive "Blog of Dri Novaes" that is written by a snoopy mate. When Carol kisses Artur in a cafeteria and the story is released in the Blog, the girl believes she was betrayed by Mano. The lives of the two brothers are affected when their schoolmates discover that their father is gay and when Bia breaks up with Pedro.

"As Melhores Coisas do Mundo" is one of the best coming of age stories of the cinema industry. When a viewer sees a movie about teenagers, the immediate association is with the silliness released by Hollywood, where usually teenagers are pictured like stupid and empty human beings. "As Melhores Coisas do Mundo" is actually a story of prejudice and discoveries in the most difficult period of the life, when the teens are vulnerable while growing-up and forming their personalities, exposed through well-developed characters. Lais Bodansky is the director of the top-notch "Bicho de Sete Cabeças", the film that disclosed Rodrigo Santoro as a great actor to the world, and once again she directs a magnificent movie using the usual problems of contemporary adolescents (the use of drugs, the wrong use of Internet, the discovery of love and sex, bullying, hypocrisy and even suicide) without exploring nudity. Even the sex scenes do not show any naked body. The cast is fantastic, with unknown adolescent actors and actresses working with experienced cast and the excellent Denise Fraga surprises in a dramatic role. This is one movie that should have been indicated to dispute the nomination to the Oscar in the Best Foreign Language category. Last but not the least, it is funny to see the Prefeitura do Rio de Janeiro listed as sponsor of a movie where the story takes place in São Paulo. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "As Melhores Coisas do Mundo" ("The Best Things of the World")