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Parents' Guide to

City of Men

By Lucy Maher, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Gritty drama about Brazilian boys growing up fast.

TV Sundance Channel Drama 2006
City of Men Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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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?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

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.

Talk to Your Kids 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?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

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