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"The Trepasser"

Directed by Beto Brant.
Written by Renato Ciasca, Beto Brant and Marçal Aquino, based on the Aquino novel.
Starring Marco Ricca and Alexandre Borges.
Release Year:  2002 
Review Date:  4/29/02 

Folks-- 

Here’s my only problem with this Brazilian import, released in South America last year:  it isn’t very good.  This is significant, because at film festivals, all of the films should at least be pretty good, right?  The plot of this great-plan-gone-awry film is hackneyed—two construction/architecture partners kill off a third and try to cover it up—and by starting off with this concept, the film is pretty ordinary.  Further, in the first five minutes of the film, these two guys have already visited and laid strippers at a whorehouse, so “bad 80s cop film” was already in my head!  Then, mid-film, the flick changes gears and follows around a hitman named Anisio who—after killing the partner for our two leads—tries to get a job at the construction firm and bed the daughter of said dead partner.  Oh, did I mention that a Sao Paolo rapper gets involved?  Or, that the cops in Sao Paolo are all dirty?  Although it does feature some cool cinematography, this one is all over the map...but, not any map you would want to trust to get you home.

Rating:  Rental

 

Comments?  Drop me a line at justin@bellviewmovies.com.

 

Bellview Rating System:

"Opening Weekend":  This is the highest rating a movie can receive.  Reserved for movies that exhibit the highest level of acting, plot, character development, setting...or Salma Hayek.  Not necessarily in that order. 

"$X.XX Show":  This price changes each year due to the inflation of movie prices; currently, it is the $9.50 Show.  While not technically perfect, this is a movie that will still entertain you at a very high level.  "Undercover Brother" falls into this category; it's no "Casablanca", but you'll have a great time watching.  The $9.50 Show won't win any Oscars, but you'll be quoting lines from the thing for ages (see "Office Space"). 

"Matinee":  An average movie that merits no more than a $6.50 viewing at your local theater.  Seeing it for less than $9.50 will make you feel a lot better about yourself.  A movie like "Blue Crush" fits this category; you leave the theater saying "That wasn't too bad...man, did you see that Lakers game last night?" 

"Rental":  This rating indicates a movie that you see in the previews and say to your friend, "I'll be sure to miss that one."  Mostly forgettable, you couldn't lose too much by going to Hollywood Video and paying $3 to watch it with your sig other, but you would only do that if the video store was out of copies of "Ronin."  If you can, see this movie for free.  This is what your TV Guide would give "one and a half stars." 

"Hard Vice":  This rating is the bottom of the barrel.  A movie that only six other human beings have witnessed, this is the worst movie I have ever seen.  A Shannon Tweed "thriller," it is so bad as to be funny during almost every one of its 84 minutes, and includes the worst ending ever put into a movie.  Marginally worse than "Cabin Boy", "The Avengers" or "Leonard, Part 6", this rating means that you should avoid this movie at all costs, or no costs, EVEN IF YOU CAN SEE IT FOR FREE!  (Warning:  strong profanity will be used in all reviews of "Hard Vice"-rated movies.)