Capitalismo Selvagem

An almost satire that evocates the true good nature of a greedy and insensitive mogul when he discovers the truth about his origins is what "Capitalismo Selvagem" ("Savage Capitalism") is all about. It tells about a reporter (Fernanda Torres) making a report on a powerful industrial (José Mayer) who is about to expropriate thousands of natives from their villages in order to extract minerals from their land, when she stumbles on an intriguing case: he's a native who survived an attack led by his father, being the sole survivor along with the mother, an Indian. In the turmoil of those new events, the rich man finds himself deeply connected with this other self, his ancestral roots, finding true love (the reporter) and that might be a danger to the business in progress, led by his ruthless wife (Marisa Orth), his brother (Marcelo Tas), people of truly evil nature.

Working more like a TV soap opera than a movie, quite melodramatic, sometimes dark humored, and trying to be artistic "Capitalismo Selvagem" is a good movie, just flunky and confusing at parts. It's utopic message of awakening the good side that's there buried in the coldest and greediest of people, reinforcing the traits of many influential people from that period in Brazil, is a good message although not that strong, slurred by its excessive comedic elements and lacking in seriousness. Works better when it pays its sort of tribute to the original habitants of this great proud land, our natives, respecting and showing a little about their culture. It's flights of inspiration presents bizarre sequences (the main character's epileptic attacks, where he can connects with his past while being in the present), some good yet tragic ones (the apparently innocent father throwing the ball to the dog in several scenes) and some memorable too. An uncompromising good watch. 8/10