City of Men

Review

Common Sense Media says

Gritty drama about Brazilian boys growing up fast.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this somewhat gritty Brazilian series centers around the lives of a pair of teen boys who live in an impoverished area of Rio de Janeiro. They encounter violence every day, most often generated by the drug lords who rule the streets. Though this may alarm some viewers, the show is well done and may serve to open the eyes of teens who aren't aware of how their peers across the globe live.

  • Positive messages0
    The teen characters have to rely on their wits and each other to survive their poor neighborhood's mean streets. This show doesn't provide lessons, per say, but it's eye-opening and informative.
  • Violence3
    The drug lords pull guns on their victims and also use emotional manipulation to get their way. The slum that the characters live in is violent by nature.
  • Sex0
    Some flirting and kissing. Later seasons find the teen characters thinking a lot about sex. One of the characters' older, unmarried sisters gets pregnant.
  • Language3
    "Chicken s--t" is spelled out in a subtitle.
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking4
    The boys' neighborhood lives and breathes the drug trade, and they interact with many people who are invovled in dealing/using/selling.
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What's the story?

In CITY OF MEN, the filmmakers behind the 2002 Oscar-nominated film City of God portray the lives of at-risk teens living in a drug-ridden section of Rio de Janeiro. Each episode is a mix of comedy and drama as the cameras follow Acerola (Douglas Silva) and Laranjinha (Darlana Cunh), teenage friends trying to lead a normal life amid the squalor and chaos of the slum they call home. They don't have much supervision: Their mothers work long hours as live-in maids, and their fathers have disappeared. In between typical pursuits like video games and girls, the pair must stay alert to the dangerous goings-on around them. Certainly, their lives aren't boring: In one episode, a new gang takes over after a drug lord is hauled away, and in another, Acerola's sister starts dating one of the neighborhood's gang leaders.

Is it any good?

 

Subtitles and complex storytelling can make the show a bit tricky to follow, but City of Men is engrossing television. Fast-moving scenes expertly convey the chaotic environment in which the boys live. Though parents might be wary of exposing their kids to the show's drugs and violence, the series is much more lighthearted than the movie, and it might even enlighten some young viewers about the conditions in which other kids their age live.

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What families can talk about

Families can talk about different living conditions around the world. Why do some countries have plenty of food and resources while others suffer from famine? Do you think parts of America are similar to the environment shown in this series? Do the media pay enough attention to poverty and need, both locally and internationally? What is the government's role in making sure citizens are taken care of?

This review was written by Lucy Maher

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This review was written by Lucy Maher
TV rating:TV-14
Network:Sundance Channel
Cast:Darlan Cunha, Douglas Silva
Genre:Drama
This review was written by Lucy Maher
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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