The Man of the Year (2003 film)
Encyclopedia
The Man of the Year , is a 2003 Brazilian film produced and directed by Jose Henrique Fonseca. It stars Murilo Benicio
, Claudia Abreu
, and Natalia Lage.
) is a single, ordinary man living in the Baixada Fluminense
region of Rio de Janiero. After losing a soccer bet to his friends, Maiquel must die his hair blond. This unusual event in his otherwise mundane life, inspires Maiquel to ask his hairdresser, Cledir (Claudia Abreu
) out to a bar where he is confronted and bullied by a local criminal named Suel (Wagner Moura
). He decides to settle the matter by subsequently buying a rifle which he uses to shoot and kill Suel the next day. He does so in front of Suel's girlfriend. Instead of reprimanding Maiquel, most everyone in the neighborhood, including the police, are overjoyed that he has killed off this local pest, and show their gratitude with gifts. With the news of Maiquel's rise to heroism, influential locals hire him to kill others for him, turning him into a full-on hitman
. Maiquel's once dull life becomes one filled with drugs, sex, wealth, and violence as he gradually becomes detached from his wife and becomes less of the "ordinary man" he once was. This path of destruction leads Maiquel to become an outlaw on the run. The film ends with Maiquel dying his hair black and running from the police, realizing just how much his life has changed.
Murilo Benício
Murilo Benício Ribeiro is a Brazilian actor, best known for his film roles in Woman On Top with Penélope Cruz and Amores Possíveis which won the Jury Award for Latin American Cinema at the Sundance Film Festival, and his television roles in O Clone and América.- Career :Benicio's television roles...
, Claudia Abreu
Cláudia Abreu
Cláudia Abreu Fonseca is a Brazilian actress. She is married to the Brazilian movie maker José Henrique Fonseca.- Filmography :*1996 - Tieta do Agreste -...
, and Natalia Lage.
Plot
Maiquel (Murilo BenicioMurilo Benício
Murilo Benício Ribeiro is a Brazilian actor, best known for his film roles in Woman On Top with Penélope Cruz and Amores Possíveis which won the Jury Award for Latin American Cinema at the Sundance Film Festival, and his television roles in O Clone and América.- Career :Benicio's television roles...
) is a single, ordinary man living in the Baixada Fluminense
Baixada Fluminense
The Baixada Fluminense is a region of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between the city of Rio de Janeiro to the south and the Serra dos Órgãos hills to the north, and bordering on Guanabara Bay. Its government is separate from that of the city of Rio de Janeiro, but depending on the writer it...
region of Rio de Janiero. After losing a soccer bet to his friends, Maiquel must die his hair blond. This unusual event in his otherwise mundane life, inspires Maiquel to ask his hairdresser, Cledir (Claudia Abreu
Cláudia Abreu
Cláudia Abreu Fonseca is a Brazilian actress. She is married to the Brazilian movie maker José Henrique Fonseca.- Filmography :*1996 - Tieta do Agreste -...
) out to a bar where he is confronted and bullied by a local criminal named Suel (Wagner Moura
Wagner Moura
Wagner Maniçoba Moura is a Brazilian film, television and stage actor. Moura graduated in journalism at Universidade Federal da Bahia but decided to become an actor....
). He decides to settle the matter by subsequently buying a rifle which he uses to shoot and kill Suel the next day. He does so in front of Suel's girlfriend. Instead of reprimanding Maiquel, most everyone in the neighborhood, including the police, are overjoyed that he has killed off this local pest, and show their gratitude with gifts. With the news of Maiquel's rise to heroism, influential locals hire him to kill others for him, turning him into a full-on hitman
Hitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
. Maiquel's once dull life becomes one filled with drugs, sex, wealth, and violence as he gradually becomes detached from his wife and becomes less of the "ordinary man" he once was. This path of destruction leads Maiquel to become an outlaw on the run. The film ends with Maiquel dying his hair black and running from the police, realizing just how much his life has changed.
Cast
- Murilo BenícioMurilo BenícioMurilo Benício Ribeiro is a Brazilian actor, best known for his film roles in Woman On Top with Penélope Cruz and Amores Possíveis which won the Jury Award for Latin American Cinema at the Sundance Film Festival, and his television roles in O Clone and América.- Career :Benicio's television roles...
as Máiquel - Cláudia AbreuCláudia AbreuCláudia Abreu Fonseca is a Brazilian actress. She is married to the Brazilian movie maker José Henrique Fonseca.- Filmography :*1996 - Tieta do Agreste -...
as Cledir - Natália Lage as Érica
- Jorge Dória as dr. Carvalho
- Marcelo Biju as Neno
- André Gonçalves as Galego
- Lázaro Ramos as Marcão
- Perfeito Fortuna as Robinson
- Paulinho Moska as Enoque
- Wagner MouraWagner MouraWagner Maniçoba Moura is a Brazilian film, television and stage actor. Moura graduated in journalism at Universidade Federal da Bahia but decided to become an actor....
as Suel - André Barros as Marlênio
- Carlo Mossy as delegado Santana
- Mariana Ximenes as Gabriela
- Amir Haddad as Gonzaga
- José Wilker as Sílvio
- Agildo Ribeiro as Zilmar
External links
- The Man of the Year profile, San Francisco International Film FestivalSan Francisco International Film FestivalSan Francisco International Film Festival is the oldest continuously running film festival in the Americas. Organized by the San Francisco Film Society, the International is held each spring for two weeks, presenting an average of 150 films from over 50 countries...
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