Crime. Chaos. Cameras. Crazy children. We are breaking down one of the most electric films ever put to screen. Join us as we discuss "City of God".

Recorded: 02.25.2026

- Flick Details -

Country of Origin: Brazil, France

Release Date: Feb 13, 2004

Run Time: 2 Hr 10 Min

Director: Katya Lund, Fernando Meirelles

Genre: Coming of age, gangster, political drama

Rating and Why: R for obvious reasons

Film Location(s): Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Budget: 3.3M

Box Office: 88K opening weekend US & Canada, 30.6M worldwide

Awards: 4 Oscars nominations - director, adapted screenplay, cinematography, editing

Time Frame: 60s, 70s

Setting: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Tagline: “If you run, the beast will get you. If you stay, the beast will eat you.”

Watch On: Paramount+ or Prime Video

IMDb - 8.6 (865K)

Letterboxd - 4.6 (1.4M)

Rotten Tomatoes - 91% critic (162), 97% audience (250K+)

Metacritic - 79 Metascore (33) ”Generally Favorable”, 9.0 User Score (663) “Universal Acclaim”

Critic Consensus (RT) - “City of God offers a shocking and disturbing - but always compelling - look at life in the slums of Rio de Janiero.”

- Our Ratings -

Dylan: 4.2

Jesse: 4.6

Dawson: 4.9

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