A warm-hearted and tender story about a young boy whose parents are abducted by the Brazilian Secret police in 1970. He is abruptly left with his grandfather to more or less fend for himself.
The story successfully interweaves this young boys' struggle to come to grips with being abandoned, with the World Cup, with making friends in the new neighborhood and adapting to the Jewish culture surrounding him. All this is done with a deft humanity that is often lacking in American films. The two child actors – the young boy and his new-found friend Hanna are simply superb and very real.
The story's ending is sad but does give a sense of closure. There is also a sense of humour though-out the film that gives respite to the boy's plight.
The story successfully interweaves this young boys' struggle to come to grips with being abandoned, with the World Cup, with making friends in the new neighborhood and adapting to the Jewish culture surrounding him. All this is done with a deft humanity that is often lacking in American films. The two child actors – the young boy and his new-found friend Hanna are simply superb and very real.
The story's ending is sad but does give a sense of closure. There is also a sense of humour though-out the film that gives respite to the boy's plight.