MovieChat Forums > Gomorra (2009) Discussion > A good, but not great movie (spoilers!!!...

A good, but not great movie (spoilers!!!)

posted 12 years ago by martinuhlig
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I really did like this movie on many levels, but due to my love for special characters I didn't love it :)

At first I was taken aback by the complete lack of empathy, on my side, for the characters. I did not feel sad when they died, I really did never connect to them.

This is why I both like and don't like the movie.

I found that my empathy was for the area they lived in, and for all the people there. A life where trying to become something, means being involved in crime, is really really saddening. I researched a little (a little), and found that the kids in this area idolize the mob-boss who was leading the mafia-wars in 2005-?, which killed 50-60 people or so, using his picture on their mobiles and such.

Naples is not a dangerous place, when you think of it 50-60 deaths is nothing compared to Mexico/South Africa, or even driving your car.
You could make the same movie in both of those countries as well...

But what I liked about this movie, compared to City of Gods, is the same reason why I liked City of Gods more (complex). The lack of me feeling anything for the characters. In City of Gods, the movie is about the characters struggle (which I love), in Gomorrah the characters are reduced to "extras", which only purpose is showing us the daily life in the slums.

And I think this makes the movie special, but not sure it was intended on the directors part :)

[–] plumlogan 12 years ago

I understand what you're saying. The style of the film made it difficult to care for the characters. However, I think this was a choice, not a failure, by the director. I was very moved by the film for exactly the opposite reasons you prefer City of God. Where that movie allowed specific investment this movie choose a larger scope, and while I enjoyed(?) City of God I really appreciated this movie. More a matter of taste I suppose. The very last scene (no spoilers), I think, shows the directorial choice.