Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Sócrates is a Brazilian movie about a gay teenage boy trying to live on his own after the death of his mother.
After his mother passes, Sócrates (Christian Malheiros) refuses to live with his estranged father and instead tries to make it on his own. However, since he’s fifteen years old and therefore can’t legally work, he has to find jobs that will pay him under the table.
While being paid to collect scrap metal, he meets Maicon (Tales Ordakji). Maicon becomes upset when he notices Sócrates looking at him. At the end of the day, Maicon becomes physically abusive to Sócrates in front of their boss, and they get into a fight. Later that day Maicon calls Sócrates and asks to meet with him, telling him he has a job opportunity. But when Sócrates arrives, he finds out that there is no job and the two of them end up having sex.
Maicon and Sócrates begin hanging out, but it doesn’t take long before Sócrates discovers that Maicon is not the sympathetic person he thought he was. And with that, the story continues.
Some Thoughts:
Sócrates is about social injustice, and the plight of youth forced to carve out a life on the streets. It’s heartbreaking and often difficult to watch. The visuals are realistic, with low rent apartments and the dirt and grime of the street. Also, the cast gives fine performances that heighten the realism.
Sócrates’ relationship with the abusive and closeted Maicon is even more troubling since it comes at a time when he is also grieving the loss of his mother. And while it’s obvious to the viewer that Maicon is bad news, it’s easy to see how a naive teenager would view Maicon as a ray of hope. And because of that, the final scene between Maicon and Sócrates is gut wrenching.
Director Alexandre Moratto puts the story on the screen like a documentary. The is no artifice or attempt to play with the viewers’ sympathies. This is the reality of young people living on the street shown without apology, and although the plot is thin, it will pull at your heartstrings.
The Final Verdict:
Sócrates is a raw and realistic slice of life drama about a fifteen your old boy living on the streets of São Paulo. It’s not easy to watch, but well worth your time.
