Brazil (1985)

Released: February 22, 1985
Director: Terry Gilliam
Starring: Jonathan Pryce, Kim Greist, Michael Palin, Robert De Niro, Katherine Helmond, Bob Hoskins, Ian Holm

I've been a big fan of this film since I first saw it late night on the movie channel last year. The film was very strange but it had that "I've got to keep watching this" quality and charm to it. It's a dystopian black comedy heavily influenced and inspired by the book 1984, the settings are grim, plain, dark and very bureaucratic but it has that light-hearted/comedic approach that gives the movie a unique combination and allows it to stand out from Orwell's own vision.

The acting in this film is very good with Jonathan Pryce playing the low level bureaucrat Sam Lowry, he hates his work, and he hates his life, dreaming of a life of freedom and easy living in the countryside. But at the same time he is a slacker who is completely out of touch with reality because of the system he was born in. Robert DeNiro makes a suprising appearance as Archibald "Harry" Tutle, a small part but a big symbollic one at the same time.

Visually the movie is a fantastic from the 1984 visuals to the Monty Python esq humor. Though the love story bits weren't that good, everything else about this film was brilliant...a flawed masterpiece.

DO NOT WATCH the love conquers all 94 minute version though.

The Verdict: 4.5