Reboleira, the poor suburb of Lisbon that once formed the backdrop to Basil da Cunha’s two short films Nuvem (Sunfish) and Os vivos também choram (The Living Also Cry), is again the set for this powerful feature debut. Unlike colleague director Pedro Costa, who also situated his stories in a suburb of Lisbon, Da Cunha tells his story more in the style of the classic film noir - with a bare crime story and narrow corridors and small rooms where it always seems to be night.
Just after he is released from jail, Sombra returns to his old neighbourhood. In a couple of days, he ends up back in a completely impossible situation when he can’t pay back a loan from a local drug dealer. All he can do is flee. But where to? After all, his enemies are everywhere.
Da Cunha focuses on the couleur locale, as is apparent from the minor and informal asides about religion and tradition. But it can primarily be heard in the dialogues, which he let the non-professional actors write themselves.