Possible Loves

Rating:
Summary: Charming Brazilian film with excellent performances
Review: Hats off to TLA Releasing, which is burning onto DVD worthwhile independent films that most of us would not have the chance to catch outside of a film festival. "Possible Loves" is one of those.

If you like films like "Sliding Doors" that show you various possible life scenarios, then this is for you. Carlos is stood up in a movie theater, and we get to follow three possible life stories that branch out from that one event.

What really grounds the comedy-drama is the exceptional performance of Murilo Benicio as Carlos. He succeeds in making his character distinct in all three scenarios, and he's both hilarious and touching. He's amazing -- not to mention, exceedingly handsome. The supporting actors are also wonderful.

If you don't like the ragged look of some independent films, there's no need to worry about that here. The movie is beautifully directed and filmed (except for a couple of indoor scenes), and it captures some breathtaking Rio settings.

Rating:
Summary: Charming Brazilian film with excellent performances
Review: Hats off to TLA Releasing, which is burning onto DVD worthwhile independent films that most of us would not have the chance to catch outside of a film festival. "Possible Loves" is one of those.

If you like films like "Sliding Doors" that show you various possible life scenarios, then this is for you. Carlos is stood up in a movie theater, and we get to follow three possible life stories that branch out from that one event.

What really grounds the comedy-drama is the exceptional performance of Murilo Benicio as Carlos. He succeeds in making his character distinct in all three scenarios, and he's both hilarious and touching. He's amazing -- not to mention, exceedingly handsome. The supporting actors are also wonderful.

If you don't like the ragged look of some independent films, there's no need to worry about that here. The movie is beautifully directed and filmed (except for a couple of indoor scenes), and it captures some breathtaking Rio settings.

Rating:
Summary: A new blurring of the line between "gay" and "straight"....
Review: Possible Loves (Amores Possiveis) is a fascinating Brazilian film which could only have come out of a production company far from the Hollywood movie mills. Impossibly handsome Brazilian actor Murilo Benicio stars as Carlos. He has arranged to meet Julia (Carolina Ferraz) at a move theater one rainy night in Rio De Janiero, but she never shows up. When the two meet again fifteen years later, the movie splinters into three possible scenarios as to what happened to Carlos in the intervening years. One scenario theorizes what would have happened if Carlos had married, a second looks at Carlos's life as a confirmed bachelor, and the third explores Carlos after he discovers his identity as a gay man. It is this third scenario which makes the film stand out from English speaking films with similar themes. Hollywood would never have the guts to include a realistic, non-homophobic gay-positive scenario in an otherwise straight-oriented romantic film. This Brazilian treat allows for the possibility that Carlos could just as easily find happiness with another man as with a woman, without denigrating his identity or masculinity. In all three scenarios, Carlos is an intelligent, charming man with fully-realized relationships with those around him. This is top notch filmmaking from start to finish - writing, directing, acting, sets and locations, cinematography - all excellent by any standards. I highly recommend it for gay film buffs, as well as mixed groups and open-minded straight folks.