Bruno Barreto is one of the most renowned Brazilian film makers today, whose international reputation was partially built on his occasional work in Hollywood. While he made serious dramas and political thrillers, his forte appears to be light comedy, something like his 2000 film Bossa Nova.
Protagonist is Mary Ann Simpson (played by Amy Irving), former American flight attendant who lives in Rio De Janeiro. Following the death of her husband, she makes ends meet by giving English classes for local businessmen. One of her students is Pedro Paulo (played by Antonio Fagundes), middle-aged attorney who has just been left by his wife Tania (played by Deborah Bloch). At the same time Pedro Paulo represents his father in his own divorce proceedings, during which he employs new clerk Sharon (played by Giovanna Antonelli), who is noticed by Pedro’s half-brother Roberto (played by Pedro Cardoso). Pedro Paulo becomes attracted to his teacher, although she seems to be reconciled with a life of a single and takes great interest in the way her best friend Nadine (played by Drica Moraes) pursues online romance with New York bohemian artist Trevor (played by Stephen Tobolowsky). One of Mary Ann’s newest students is Acacio (played by Alexandre Borges), football star who needs to learn English quickly before contuining his career in England.
Barreto tried very hard, and for the most part succeeded, to make Bossa Nova as different from romantic comedies made in Hollywood at the time. The most important difference is lack of single protagonist and Barreto’s film instead works as an ensemble piece with narrative structure that, at first, resembles anthology film and features many characters and subplots that initially have little connection with each other. Only at the end serendipitous circumstances manage to connect all those strands in cohesive story. Another interesting feature of Bossa Nova is that one of romantic plots involves characters that are in their forties, which was something quite rare in romantic comedies at the time. One of those characters is played by Amy Irving, American actress who was Barreto’s wife at the time and whom he directed in his previous Hollywood films. She is partnered by Antonio Fagundes, Brazilian actor who became internationally known mostly due to his work in popular telenovela O Rei do Gado. Barreto obviously invested not only large amounts of talent, but also plenty of heart in his film, which could be described as some kind of love letter to his native Rio De Janeiro, which is shot to look in best possible way, and those lovely images are accompanied by very likeable musical score by Eumir Deodato. Although the ending has a little too much of pathos, general impression remains very good and Bossa Nova is film that could be recommended even to viewers who aren’t big fans of romantic comedies.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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