That’s It

That’s It, the first work by 21-year-old Brazilian film student Matheus Souza, is a refreshing and sympathetic film. The title refers to the end of the relationship between two twenty-somethings. She tells him she wants to end it in an hour and to leave (but she doesn’t say where to). In that last hour, the camera follows their every moment, as in real-time. With entertainingly fluent dialogues, partly improvised texts and plenty of humour, the two try to round off their relationship as well as possible in businesslike negotiations. Above all for themselves. It largely comes down to talking, with occasionally some warmth and often irony, because real romance is still too serious. Bit by bit, the characters reveal themselves and we get to know them better and better. In between the lines, the director provides a critical caricature of the sitcom, of the typical roles of him and her, consumer society and pop culture. Only at the end do the emotions emerge, cautiously yet convincingly.
A very charming, lively, playful and daring film début, entirely made, shot, produced and acted by students at the University of Rio de Janeiro. It’s also the very first feature project by this university. The film had its world première at the Rio de Janeiro Film Festival in October 2008, where it won the audience prize. (ID)

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