Três Marias, As, (The Three Marias) (2002)
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40% of critics liked it
(20 reviews) -
41% of users liked it
(87 ratings)
Brazilian filmmaker Aluizio Abranches, who garnered international attention with his debut feature Um Copo de Colera, directed this audacious and idiosyncratic crime thriller. When she was a young woman, Filomena Capadocio (Marieta Severo) had pledged to marry Firmino Santos Guerra (Carlos Vereza),… More Brazilian filmmaker Aluizio Abranches, who garnered international attention with his debut feature Um Copo de Colera, directed this audacious and idiosyncratic crime thriller. When she was a young woman, Filomena Capadocio (Marieta Severo) had pledged to marry Firmino Santos Guerra (Carlos Vereza), but she opted to call off the engagement and instead wed Borges Capadscio, one of his greatest enemies. An angry Santos Guerra swore to someday take vengeance against Filomena, but waited thirty years to make good on his promise, when arranged for the cold-blooded murder of Filomena's husband and two sons. Distraught, Filomena brings together her three daughters -- Maria Pia (Luiza Mariani, Maria Rosa (Maria Luisa Mendonca) and Maria Francesca (Julia Lemmertz) - and tells them of her plan to avenge these deaths of her men. Each of the sisters is given the name of a different hired killer, and each is to arrange for the death of one of the men responsible for the slayings. Maria Pia has to free Jesuino Cruz (Wagner Moura) from jail so he can perform the hit, Maria Rosa must convince a usually honest cop (Tuca Andrada) to turn to the wrong side of the law, and Maria Francesca has the assignment of tracking down the crazed Ze des Cobras (Enrique Diaz), who likes to feast on snakes. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Aluisio Abranches
- Written By
- Wilson Freire, Heitor Dhalia
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Aug 2, 2002 Wide
- Studio
- Empire Pictures
Critic Reviews
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Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
A luridly baroque tale of violent revenge, this Brazilian-Italian entry relies heavily on atmospheric visuals to compensate for its lack of depth in both plotting and characterizations.
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Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Abranches intends for a religious parable by way of Greek tragedy, but the film drowns in a morass of portentous signs and poetic symbols.
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Bob Campbell, Newark Star-Ledger
At times, the filmmaker seems unsure of his mission. He should have had Filomena for his producer.
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Stephen Holden, New York Times
Its emotional climate is too extreme to invite identification, and its characters are too single-minded in their revenge to evoke pity, terror or even much interest.
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Lou Lumenick, New York Post
The intent was apparently a Sergio Leone-ish black comedy, but the leaden pacing, somnambulant performances and incessant symbolism in nearly every shot will soon have you thinking that The Three Marias is three too many.
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Cast
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Marieta Severo
as Filomena Capadocio
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Julia Lemmertz
as Maria Francisca
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Maria Luiza Mendonca
as Maria Rosa
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Luiza Mariani
as Maria Pia
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Carlos Vereza
as Firmino Santos Guerra
- Enrique Díaz
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Tuca Andrada
as Cabo Tenorio
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Wagner Moura
as Jesuino Cruz
- Lázaro Ramos
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Cassiano Carneiro
as Jose Tranquilo
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Taveira Junior
as Sertanejo
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Fabio Limma
as Arcanjo
- Maria Luisa Mendonca
