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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dora and Josue, February 19, 2005
The transforming and redemptive power of forgiveness is the major theme in this moving film from Brazil. The two leads, Dora, an older woman whose self-imposed sheltered life has been long shut-off from the yearnings and longings that make us human, and Josue, a young boy who forces her to confront her detachment as such, move the viewer from a jolting start to a warm, satisfying ending.
This is a film I never get tired of. The performances are great; the musical score is subtle, yet significant; the people and places are compelling; and the story, although perhaps somewhat manipulative, is overall enjoyable.
Some reviewers have side-stepped the warmth of this movie in attacking it as pretentious, cliche, and overtly sentimental. Although these are valid arguments, I felt that overall these points are forgiveable and easy to overlook.
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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brazilian's Greatest Female Actress at her Peak, October 4, 2002
This is a film of contrasts. From Rio de Janeiro's Metropolis-like urban hell to Brasil's Nordeste - a barren place of barren and huge landscapes and unmittigated Faith. Dora's character, played by sublime actress Fernanda Montenegro (Oscar nominated and certainly worthy of winning...) evolves from an urban Rio de Janeiro's letter writer-devil'll do all to a mother figure to street kid Josué after his own mother dies. After that this is a spiritual road movie - for Josué's long lost father - and for Dora's long lost faith in herself and in other human beings - which she eventually achieves most purely in Josués character. This is a powerful movie. Christianly so. Any religion-so. But mostly a movie about trust in the residual bits of humanity that allow those in near-despair to believe. Maybe not in God as such - but in christian individuals as such... So is this a religious movie? Not exactly. And not at all a Catholic one. But it is a delightful innocent mix-up of beliefs, with a kind of untainted christianism standing out.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
HOW CAN I EXPRESS HOW TOUCHING THIS FILM IS!, September 28, 1999
By A Customer
The first time I saw this film I came to the conclusion it was not only a simple movie. It was pure MAGIC! I was so touched that I could not stop crying.At the end the audience gave the movie a great and long run of applause! I saw it again in movie theaters many other times. And the pleasure I felt each time I saw it again was greater and greater. After the fifth time I started going to the cinema to see the other people's reaction to it. It was incredible the way the movie pleased all kinds of people (the young, the old, men, women, etc). I am so glad I can share this experience with people from all over the world! Thank you for the oportunity of having it in video! WATCH CENTRAL STATION, and if you're at least a little bit sensitive you'll have an extraordinary experience!
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