I’m Still Here (2024) is directed by Walter Salles and stars Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, Valentina Herszage, Luiza Kosovski, Barbara Luz, Cora Mora, Guilherme Silveira, Antonio Saboia, Pri Helena, Humberto Carrao, Charles Fricks, and Maeve Jinkings. Set in Rio De Janeiro in 1971, the film follows Eunice Paiva (Torres), a loving mother/wife whose life is turned upside down after her husband, Rubens (Mello), a former congressman, is arrested by members of a violent new dictatorship. When this new regime denies ever having arrested her husband in the first place, Eunice tries everything in her power to uncover the truth.

This is a very controlled and subdued film that features almost no flashy scenes/sequences. Instead, the film relies heavily on its fantastic lead performance and total commitment to realism. Fernanda Torres gives one of the more subtle Oscar-nominated performances of 2024, but that’s not to say its quality is any less. Eunice’s journey involves keeping an appearance of strength for the sake of her children, so she easily could have come across as cold. Fortunately, Torres communicates her deeper emotions through subtle facial expressions and a fittingly exhausted physique. She pretty much carries the experience from beginning to end, but the supporting cast is impressive as well – especially the young performers. For example, Eunice’s 3 teenage daughters could’ve easily felt like similar characters (and I wouldn’t have been surprised), but the script takes its time to efficiently flesh out their unique personalities.

The first act takes its sweet time to establish the Paiva family and their various relationships with one another – something that’s admittedly slow but also effective in getting the viewer to care about the characters. Unfortunately, the movie never really picks up the pace – even as the characters’ lives are threatened. This is partly because of the film’s strict commitment to realism. The grounded nature is no doubt something to admire, but it’s a double-edged sword. It grounds the story in a very immersive way but also strips it of any of the traditional thrills/excitement that we go to the movies to enjoy. Yes, it’s thought-provoking, well-acted, and well-shot – it’s just not very entertaining or rewatchable in any sense of the word. It’s also a movie that only really works as a whole as opposed to something that’s enjoyable from scene to scene. The film’s exploration of the horrors that come from being denied closure is emotionally resonant, but it’s served in a package that’s honestly a bit dull. 

This is essentially the perfect example of what people refer to as “Oscar bait.” It’s superb in almost every technical category but lacks a true sense of entertainment (the one thing every movie, regardless of genre, should provide). That being said, it completely succeeds at transporting the viewer to a different place and time as well as providing them with a new perspective on serious real-world topics, such as the true nature of political takeovers and the psychological importance of closure.  

Overall, this is a well-made retelling of a little-known, real-world tragedy that is unfortunately so committed to realism that it ends up being a little boring. It’s an easy movie to respect and a hard movie to criticize, but I don’t see myself recommending it to anyone other than die-hard history nuts. If you want quality, it’s here. If you want excitement/entertainment, look elsewhere. B-