Bossa Nova (2000)
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73% of critics liked it
(30 reviews) -
51% of users liked it
(1,420 ratings)
Recalling late period films from Francois Truffaut and American 1930s screwball comedies, Bruno Barreto directs this elegant romantic comedy set in Brazil. Mary Ann Simpson (Amy Irving) is a middle-aged American widow teaching English in Rio de Janeiro. Since her pilot husband died two years… More Recalling late period films from Francois Truffaut and American 1930s screwball comedies, Bruno Barreto directs this elegant romantic comedy set in Brazil. Mary Ann Simpson (Amy Irving) is a middle-aged American widow teaching English in Rio de Janeiro. Since her pilot husband died two years previously, Mary Ann has more or less dispensed with any ideas of a second chance at love. When one of her nubile young students mentions that she found her perfect match, Mary Ann insists that one can only meet Mr. Right in the flesh. Later, she shares an elevator with suave attorney Pedro Paulo (Antonio Fagundes), who is in the throes of a painful transition after his wife Tania (Debora Bloch) dumped him for a tai chi instructor. Pedro is struck by Mary Ann immediately, and he decides to sign up for one of her classes even though he is thoroughly fluent in English. Meanwhile, soccer ace Acacio (Alexandre Borges) is struggling through Mary Ann's language classes in order to play for a U.K. team. The good-looking athlete flirts with his teacher for a while, complicating things for Pedro Paulo, before becoming infatuated with Pedro's sexy law clerk. This film was screened at the 2000 Berlin Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- Directed By
- Bruno Barreto
- Written By
- Alexandre Machado, Fernanda Young
- Genres
- Drama, Romance, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Apr 28, 2000 Wide
- Studio
- Sony Pictures Classics
Critic Reviews
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Doris Toumarkine, Film Journal International
A splashy, slick, tuneful, rigorously old-fashioned romantic comedy.
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Brent Simon, Entertainment Today
Some strands play out a little more successfully than others, but Bossa Nova is overall a small, sweet movie steeped in affairs of the heart.
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Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
A breezy confection of Brazilian pop.
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Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
... an homage to Truffaut's early romantic comedies buoyed by a soundtrack replete with Jobim tunes
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
An enchanting testimony to Oscar Wilde's view: love does bring warmth and richness to life.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Amy Irving
as Mary Ann Simpson
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Antônio Fagundes
as Pedro Paulo
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Alexandre Borges
as Acacio
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Debora Bloch
as Tania
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Drica Moraes
as Nadine
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Giovanna Antonelli
as Sharon
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Rogério Cardoso
as Vermont
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Sergio Loroza
as Gordo
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Flavio Sao Thiago
as Pecanha
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Alberto de Mendoza
as Juan
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Pedro Cardoso
as Roberto
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Stephen Tobolowsky
as Trevor
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Kazuyo Matsui
as Wan-Kim-Lau
