Someone Borrowed
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Someone Borrowed
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Someone Borrowed is a Brazilian romantic comedy about a perpetual bachelor who cuts off all relationships with women at three months in order to avoid love and commitment. When his mother is handed a terminal diagnosis, she threatens to disinherit him if he doesn't find a wife, prompting him to hire a fake fiancée. Language includes "f--k," "s--t," "ho," "ass," "clitoris," "get laid," "orgasm," "crap," "hell," and "damn." Adults drink and smoke cigarettes. Sexual references are made. Adults kiss but there's no nudity. In Portuguese with English subtitles.
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What's the Story?
In SOMEONE BORROWED, Luiz (Caio Castro) doesn't have a job and lives with his wealthy widowed mother, the big-hearted Carlota (Patricya Travassos). Part of his trouble is that they get along so well, he has little motivation to move out and grow up. Mom wants him to find a nice girl and get married, but he has perfected being a player, based on a set of rules that keep him out of the dreaded trap of commitment: Never lie to a woman. Let her know from the start that he's terminating their arrangement in three months. Never spend the whole night together. He thereby avoids attachment and the real trouble -- falling in love -- that he claims launches within six months. When Carlota is handed a terminal diagnosis, she insists that he get married -- or be disinherited. Luiz hires Lina (Thati Lopes), a struggling actress with her own quirks, to pose as his fiancée. Will true love follow?
Is It Any Good?
Someone Borrowed follows many well-worn romantic comedy clichés but manages to stay fresh and engaging by way of appealing performances by Castro, Lopes, and Travassos. Luiz claims love is just a release of mind-altering chemical substances in the body that confuse and weaken people, so why fall prey? There's nothing new here, but Castro is charming enough to pull off this stock character with grace and wit. The same goes for Lopes, who breathes life into a madcap goofball. Together they make it worth watching the inevitable outcome.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why Luiz avoids long-term relationships. What about them made him uncomfortable?
How predictable was the movie's outcome? Did conforming to standard plot strategies affect its enjoyability? Why, or why not?
Why do you think men are often portrayed as commitment-averse in movies? Do you think that presumption reflects reality? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: October 11, 2022
- Cast: Thati Lopes, Caio Castro, Patricya Travassos
- Director: Cris D'Amato
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Romance
- Run time: 107 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: October 17, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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When Harry Met Sally
Wit- and charm-filled romantic-comedy classic.
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Love Actually
Romantic and entertaining -- for older teens.
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Sleepless in Seattle
Romantic '90s fairy tale has some cursing, sex.
For kids who love romcoms
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