Anybody who knows me will tell you I love a good period piece based on true events. Especially one that I didn’t know that much about beforehand.  That’s the case here with I’m Still Here. I didn’t know much about this story, and that’s a good thing. The less you know the better. That way the performances are more impactful while you’re watching the film. The performance from Fernanda Torres is the one that is the most impactful of all.

The Paiva family, Reubens (Selton Mello), and Eunice (Fernanda Torres) live with their kids, adjacent to a beautiful Leblon beach in Rio De Janeiro,  Brazil in the 1970s. Reuben’s past comes back to haunt him as he’s abducted by the government for potential crimes against the current regime.  Eunice has to try and find him while also trying to raise her kids and maintain her household while her husband,  the breadwinner as a journalist, is missing.

Walter Salles has made some good films in his career such as The Motorcycle Diaries and On the Road to name a couple. He has shown that his latest film I’m Still Here means a lot to him. He’s put a lot of effort into bringing this story, which is adapted from Ainda Estou Aqui. The details he uses to bring this story to life are very well done. The technical aspects and performances are terrific.  That’s why this foreign film is getting so much awards buzz at the Golden Globes and other award ceremonies. 

Fernanda Torres is an actress of some renown in South America and other Latin countries. This is the first time I’ve seen her in a prominent awards contender though. She gives a phenomenal performance as this mother/wife who’s trying to figure out what happened to her seemingly normal husband. She goes through a gambit of emotions in the process. She’s also kidnapped and questioned, but eventually released to try to put her life back together. She is a surefire awards contender this season for her emotional performance in this film. I’m rooting for her.

As mentioned I love period piece films. Especially those set in the 70s. Salles and his production designer capture this decade so well. The cars, clothes, hairstyling, various buildings, and other aesthetics are all captured so well. I felt like I was transplanted back in time. All the technical aspects allowed me to enjoy the movie more because I wasn’t worried about whether things looked the proper way or not. I loved the look of this film.

I’m Still Here has quite a bit of political intrigue to it. It deals with possible communist party ties and overthrowing a government.  This stuff is handled very well by Salles and the crew. Movies about political unrest can be a mixed back. I’ve seen my share of them over the years and this is an exceptional one. Seeing a film from the perspective of another country is always interesting. This one holds up very well though. As someone who wasn’t that knowledgeable about this story, I was completely invested in what I was watching.

4 1/2 stars

Dan Skip Allen