Não Se Aceitam Devoluções (André Moraes, 2018) is a Brazilian remake of the Mexican dramedy No Se Aceptan Devoluciones (Eugenio Derbez, 2013), which has many international adaptations included in France and Turkey. It has its importance because it is the Hispanic film with the highest grossing. It could be an advance of the film industry dominated anglophone. Notwithstanding is considered mediocre by the renamed film critics. I admit its technical quality and screenplay are not the best, but I believe the film mentions themes that deserve to highlight. Maybe that is the reason for being unpopular with the film critics who are part of the hegemony and that be hard with the identification process with its characters.
Juca Valente (Leandro Hassum) is a womanizer man until an American woman appeared with a baby(Emma) in his house, she claims he is the father of the child. After Juca noticed that he became a single father, he goes to the United States to look for the mother of his child, notwithstanding he doesn't speak a word of English. There Juca gets a job as a stuntman. This job role is interesting, as it explores the fantasy from children's perspective of their parents who could be super-heroes and do anything even above all their fears to see a smile on their children's faces. After a producer(Bob) noticed his heroic act when he jumps from a higher building. It is important to highlight his surname "Valente" means bravery in Portuguese because Juca is the opposite, and saves Emma from a pool drowning. Times goes by, Emma and Juca started to live in Los Angeles until the first plot twist changes their lives completely.
The film talks about a single father is a topic which is not seen very frequently in films and series, I could count so easily the few times I watched media products representing it. Such as The Pursuit of Happyness(Gabriele Muccino, 2016) and Captain Fantastic(Matt Ross, 2016), even the animation Finding Nemo(Andrew Stanton, 2003) and the television series Raising Hope (2010-2014). It is important to the audience to have this type of representation of families outside the pattern, notwithstanding the film makes a mistake when having jokes about a gay couple and transphobic with the candidate to be Emma's mother. Besides Juca's womanizer personality, in the beginning, that objectifies women. Reinforcing the typical traditionalism and machismo of the Latin men.
Besides that, the film shows some difficulties that immigrants needed to lead outside their hometown, in the film particularly shows the United States, which became emphatic in the Trump government. It shows these situations by less important characters who are Latin and have secondary jobs, contrasting with the Native characters who are succeeding in their careers. It can create an interesting discussion about the growth of immigrations in powerful countries, originating xenophobia, developing an increasing inequality between Natives and immigrants in many uncountable ambits. Moreover, in the end, there is a beautiful and meaningful message, that is worth to keep spreading all around.
"Some people will always be alive inside us, in our hearts!"
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