"Rodrigo D: No Futuro" is one of those films that doesn't necessarily aspire to be one of the greatest films you've ever seen but it has that one special quality that endures and stays with you after seeing it. I've seen several films through the years, dealing with many realities and outcomes, and lately was avoiding similar topics dealing with poverty, crime, harsh realities due to the fact you'll always get the same scenario of despair, brutal murders and stuff. To me, that trend was tiring already and wasn't adding much to me. This film, however, made an impact with me. Having never seen a film from Colombia, this was my first experience, it left me very impressed and hooked through the whole thing, and I was able to take a different perspective on things, examine how similar Brazil and Colombia were and are even today. I couldn't stop thinking about it and that's the kind of effect you expect from movies, specially from ones you expect more of the same.
Víctor Gaviria's first feature film revolves around the title character (nicely played by then newcomer Ramiro Meneses), a teenage boy who dreams of forming a punk rock band. Problem is: this is 1988, he lives in the Medellín slums and there's no other interesting alternative for anyone except to join the crime world. Maybe that's not entirely accurate because Rodrigo gets offered some job by his father but he doesn't go. He prefers to stick with his loyal mates, all of them who are into punk music, play some music here and there but mostly focus in stealing motorcycles, cars and consuming drugs. In between crimes and music, Rodrigo and his friends go through life just finding ways to get easy money and escape from authorities, always having to find different hideaways.
Here's a film that presents life as it is. Far from giving us a character who faces obstacles to fulfill a dream and building up to something, the story focus more about his reality, the environment surrounding him and how the choices for a life change are so narrow yet so invisible to Rodrigo and his mates. But since they're limited to a place that only presents them the bad side of everything they make the best they can with that: if not usually robbing innocent people, they're teasing each other or making poor music performances...but it's the best they got. My favorite scene from the picture is in fact one of those "poor" performances. After a lousy audition from some punks, Rodrigo and one friend decide to make a small jam session: Rodrigo in the drums and vocals and his mate playing the guitar, singing some bits. That was the highest point of the film in terms of seeing, without any other kind of explanation or a line of dialogue, why music is so important to them. The sense of liberty, release and complete abandon of all society rules, for that brief moment is what brings the characters closer to the dream or at least to some new reality that makes it worth living. That's what punk rock is all about besides the rebellion; in fact, those characters have a lot more to rebel against society than the actual punk creators.
Gaviria's film is a near-perfect film - sure, there's some errors at times, characters that come and go and we don't know exactly who they are. But I believe he made a movie that echoed life with its uncertainties, problems, conflicts and misery. The closing credits is a depressive statement on that, when he dedicates the film to four actors who were murdered in between the film's making and its release, all of them dead before reaching their 20's. That's the fact that actually got me the most, remembering everything those characters went through, their stories and friendship and then...life's thrown back at you in such a devastating way, a statement that defines the picture almost in a hopeless way. But not completely. As evidenced by the prominent soundtrack, the film features music from many Colombian punk rock bands (the main theme "Dinero" is unforgettable). So, even in that unending state of despair there was some way out. And that's what Rodrigo believes. A way to leave the crime/drugs world behind and also the talks of his family thinking he's no good.
Besides having a title character with the same name as me, another thing that hooked me (later on as I discovered) is the film's full title. Due to proximity of languages, I've always interpreted "No Futuro" as if being "Rodrigo D: In the Future". But looking out for the English version I came to realize that it's actually "No Future", which seems more appropriate due to the nature of the film and the punk aspects (Sex Pistols, baby). But with this title play or lack of translation here, it made me appreciate it even more because for one particular moment you can imagine what's the road Rodrigo will travel in and what possible outcome audiences will like to see it happening. 9/10
Víctor Gaviria's first feature film revolves around the title character (nicely played by then newcomer Ramiro Meneses), a teenage boy who dreams of forming a punk rock band. Problem is: this is 1988, he lives in the Medellín slums and there's no other interesting alternative for anyone except to join the crime world. Maybe that's not entirely accurate because Rodrigo gets offered some job by his father but he doesn't go. He prefers to stick with his loyal mates, all of them who are into punk music, play some music here and there but mostly focus in stealing motorcycles, cars and consuming drugs. In between crimes and music, Rodrigo and his friends go through life just finding ways to get easy money and escape from authorities, always having to find different hideaways.
Here's a film that presents life as it is. Far from giving us a character who faces obstacles to fulfill a dream and building up to something, the story focus more about his reality, the environment surrounding him and how the choices for a life change are so narrow yet so invisible to Rodrigo and his mates. But since they're limited to a place that only presents them the bad side of everything they make the best they can with that: if not usually robbing innocent people, they're teasing each other or making poor music performances...but it's the best they got. My favorite scene from the picture is in fact one of those "poor" performances. After a lousy audition from some punks, Rodrigo and one friend decide to make a small jam session: Rodrigo in the drums and vocals and his mate playing the guitar, singing some bits. That was the highest point of the film in terms of seeing, without any other kind of explanation or a line of dialogue, why music is so important to them. The sense of liberty, release and complete abandon of all society rules, for that brief moment is what brings the characters closer to the dream or at least to some new reality that makes it worth living. That's what punk rock is all about besides the rebellion; in fact, those characters have a lot more to rebel against society than the actual punk creators.
Gaviria's film is a near-perfect film - sure, there's some errors at times, characters that come and go and we don't know exactly who they are. But I believe he made a movie that echoed life with its uncertainties, problems, conflicts and misery. The closing credits is a depressive statement on that, when he dedicates the film to four actors who were murdered in between the film's making and its release, all of them dead before reaching their 20's. That's the fact that actually got me the most, remembering everything those characters went through, their stories and friendship and then...life's thrown back at you in such a devastating way, a statement that defines the picture almost in a hopeless way. But not completely. As evidenced by the prominent soundtrack, the film features music from many Colombian punk rock bands (the main theme "Dinero" is unforgettable). So, even in that unending state of despair there was some way out. And that's what Rodrigo believes. A way to leave the crime/drugs world behind and also the talks of his family thinking he's no good.
Besides having a title character with the same name as me, another thing that hooked me (later on as I discovered) is the film's full title. Due to proximity of languages, I've always interpreted "No Futuro" as if being "Rodrigo D: In the Future". But looking out for the English version I came to realize that it's actually "No Future", which seems more appropriate due to the nature of the film and the punk aspects (Sex Pistols, baby). But with this title play or lack of translation here, it made me appreciate it even more because for one particular moment you can imagine what's the road Rodrigo will travel in and what possible outcome audiences will like to see it happening. 9/10