This is billed as a comedy and stars Regina Casé as the maid to a rich family in Sao Paulo. She has raised the families' son and takes care of everything for them from walking the dog, making the meals to trimming the hedge. Then her estranged daughter asks to come and stay and she is overjoyed having been separated for ten years.
However, her daughter is a modern free thinker and just does not get the social divide that separates her and her mother from these rich folk and the inevitable clashes start from the get go.
Now as a film on social commentary this is all straight forward and we don't really need to be told that money buys privilege. Whilst as a character piece it works a lot better with the various players establishing where they sit in the hierarchy of life and how that will affect those around them. It is a gentle film, not really a comedy, and will not tax you too much. Its original Portuguese title is "Que Horas Ela Volta?". Some have hailed this as a master piece and others have said it is pointless in that it brings nothing new. I found it to be enjoyable but not one I would rush out and buy – I rented this – but it's one that passes the time very agreeably and is far from being the land mark some have hailed it to be but is also far from being a lamentable waste of time.
However, her daughter is a modern free thinker and just does not get the social divide that separates her and her mother from these rich folk and the inevitable clashes start from the get go.
Now as a film on social commentary this is all straight forward and we don't really need to be told that money buys privilege. Whilst as a character piece it works a lot better with the various players establishing where they sit in the hierarchy of life and how that will affect those around them. It is a gentle film, not really a comedy, and will not tax you too much. Its original Portuguese title is "Que Horas Ela Volta?". Some have hailed this as a master piece and others have said it is pointless in that it brings nothing new. I found it to be enjoyable but not one I would rush out and buy – I rented this – but it's one that passes the time very agreeably and is far from being the land mark some have hailed it to be but is also far from being a lamentable waste of time.