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Fenced In
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Slapstick violence, language in over-the-top comedy.
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Fenced In
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What's the Story?
In FENCED IN, Walter (Leandro Hassum) works in a music store, selling instruments and gear to extremely loud aspiring rappers and heavy metal bands. After a particularly harrowing day, Walter faints and finds himself in the hospital, where he's informed that he had a nervous breakdown. His nerves have gotten so bad that any jarring loud noises could kill him. His wife, Joana (Júlia Rabello), decides that the best thing for them to do would be to relocate to the countryside and start a new life. Walter and Joana leave the city and move into a neighborhood called "The Portal of Peace" and look forward to finally having some peace and quiet. That illusion is soon shattered when they hear the loud sounds of samba next door. Walter and Joana go next door to meet their new neighbors, Toninho and Kelly (Marlei Cevada), who direct a samba school from their home, have a son who is a heavy metal drummer, and are fond of throwing parties that go late into the night. Desperate to preserve his health and sanity, Walter goes to ridiculous lengths to try to stop Toninho and Kelly from being so loud, all to no avail, as he and Joana must figure out a way to coexist in spite of all the noise.
Is It Any Good?
This is an obnoxious slapstick comedy in which the premise is exhausted within 20 minutes. Fenced In has some dubious lapses in story logic at the beginning that everyone is supposed to ignore because -- hey, it's just a silly comedy. Fair enough, but when all is said and done, there's more story, depth, and even laughs to be had from the average Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote cartoon than anything this movie has to offer. It's at least 30 minutes longer than it needs to be, and the vast majority of the gags are stale and predictable.
Some comedy works, such as a seance scene in which one of the punchlines concerns a character claiming to have been "Obama" in a past life, but these moments are few and far between. There are some interesting highlights of Brazilian culture, even if they're likely to be overshadowed by Leandro Hassum's nonstop mugging for the camera and scenes of, among other things, parrots biting tongues. It's supposed to be silly and dumb and slapsticky and everything, but that shouldn't be an excuse for a movie to be uninspired.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the slapstick violence in Fenced In. Why is slapstick violence funny for some? What are some other examples of slapstick comedies?
What does the movie show about Brazilian culture -- specifically the culture surrounding samba and carnival?
Much of the comedy stems from the lead character being the opposite of his new neighbors. How does their being opposites drive the story and the comedy? What are some other examples in comedy and drama in which the lead characters are opposites of each other?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: September 1, 2022
- Cast: Leandro Hassum , Júlia Rabello , Marlei Cevada
- Director: Roberto Santucci
- Inclusion Information: Latino actors, Female actors
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Music and Sing-Along
- Run time: 110 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
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