Storyline
Back in ’71, Rubens Paiva—yep, the ex-congressman who wouldn’t shut up about the new dictatorship—gets yanked from his house outta nowhere in Rio. No explanation, just a “come give a deposition,” and poof, he’s gone. The movie doesn’t wander; it sticks tight to Eunice, his wife, who’s basically a force of nature. Fernanda Torres is wild good here, showing Eunice’s stubborn hope and heartbreak as she digs for answers, year after year, while the regime just gaslights her at every turn. It’s not just a history lesson—it’s raw, it’s heavy, and sometimes you want to yell at the screen. The story’s brutal, but there’s this electric, stubborn hope that keeps things burning, even when the odds are garbage. Fernanda Montenegro pops in too (if you know, you know), and just crushes. Walter Salles brings it all together—pain, politics, and the guts it takes to keep fighting when the world’s out to erase you. Honestly, it stings, but you can’t look away.
