Name: Um Homem Sem Importância
Genre: Drama
Duration: 1 h 9 min
Rating: 7.5
Cast: Oduvaldo Vianna Filho, Glauce Rocha, Amaury Alves

A surprising day in the life of a desperate man

Alberto Salva's "A Man Without Importance" follows a reality experienced by many people out there during the course of their lives, at least once unless one's wealthy or secured with stability on their work: to face unemployment. Our sad hero in this journey is Flávio (Oduvaldo Vianna Filho), a 30-year old man who got fired from his job at a bowling alley after being harrased by patrons who kept disturbing his work. Back at home, he faces the pressures of a hardened father (Rafael de Carvalho), owner of a mechanic who refuses to employ his son thinking he's lazy, and only favors the younger brother (Dartagnan Mello). The film follows through the course of a long day where he tries to find a new job, facing rejection and encountering a series of people on the way who might ease his troubles for a little while.

The desperation and worries of Flávio are true to life in many ways. It's one of those cases where it's hard to know if he wasted his life or if life was wasted on him and now the lack of opportunities at his age along with the lack of experience and extensive courses made him look obsolete, unfit. And remember that back then workers didn't have welfare, the unemployment insurance as we call here, and with that in mind we see a guy who needs to run quick not just for himself but he also needs to prove himself to his father who consider him a leech who can't do anything right. With so many pressures to be dealt, where's the love? Where's the importance, the meaning of one's life? Will he ever find it?

But it's not all hopelessness in his adventure through the city and that's where the movie keeps us going with his meeting with an old friend (Mário Prieto); the Japanese driver (Kazuo Kon) of whom they both help each other in a difficult moment; the youngsters who made him get fired and invite him to have some fun at the beach; and a dedicated secretary (Glauce Rocha) of a potential new job. That last meeting is the best, the most tender and caring.

It's a very straighforward film with some downer yet real moments at its core in showing those difficult moments where one needs to find new ways to survive through life. It's not about easy solutions, but it shows how can one find it if paying attention to things or allowing oneself to try things. And despite some shortcomings, Flávio is a character that we easily care about and Oduvaldo Vianna Filho plays him with an almost child-like manner at times, innocent and vulnerable, suspicious of everything and everyone.

I really liked this movie, one of those rare surprises from the 1970's Brazilian cinema and I find it quite inspirational. The message of not giving up on things when they're going wrong or not going our way was key, but when dealing with the surprises of life, the unusual encounters that we feel won't have a meaning was an amazing one. Except with the potential robbers at the sqaure, all of the encounters Flávio has through the course of the story made him feel at ease, relaxed, it made him smile and see things through a different perspective. It didn't get what he wanted, but certainly got him what he needed and we all need those connections in darker times. 8/10.

Portuguese-language cinema, spanning Portugal, Brazil, and other Lusophone regions, focuses on history, cultural identity, and the struggles of ordinary people, often framed with poetic or allegorical storytelling. In Portugal, cinema has emphasized meditative pacing and philosophical depth, reflecting on memory and tradition. In Brazil, it has often been politically charged and socially vibrant, highlighting inequality and resilience while experimenting with popular and avant-garde forms.

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The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

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Oduvaldo Vianna Filho in Um Homem Sem Importância (1971)

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Um Homem Sem Importância

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