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Jader Barbalho, Claudio Fonteles, Helbio Dias, Juarez Avelar, Paulo Lamarao ... see more see more... , Mario Lucio Avelar

Brazil is a nation where political and economic corruption and violent crime are a way of life for many, and filmmaker Jason Kohn examines some of the more unusual ways they manifest themselves in thi... read more read more...s documentary. In Manda Bala (Send a Bullet), Kohn's subjects include a plastic surgeon whose practice is dominated by the victims of kidnappers who lost their ears to their captors; a political figure who uses his frog ranch as a cover for illegal business operations which have made him a multi-millionaire; and an auto customizer whose specialty is bullet-proofing luxury cars. Manda Bala (Send A Bullet) won the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

80% liked it

2,582 ratings

Critics

80% liked it

50 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 25 min.

Directed by: Jason Kohn

Release Date: January 20, 2007

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DVD Release Date: April 8, 2008

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Stats: 224 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (224)

  • rubystevens
    October 1, 2008
    rubystevens
    well done documentary with interwoven stories illuminating crime and corruption in sao paulo, where someone is kidnapped every day; the rich travel with bodyguards in armored cars and heliocopters, while a huge underclass struggles for survival and certain politicians are no bett... read moreer than gangsters. the roots of this corruption are traced back to colonial days. this film is banned in brazil. i'm surprised more people haven't seen it. currently streamable on netflix.

    'when the rich steal from the poor, the poor steal the rich'
  • Beefy
    April 13, 2008
    Beefy
    A wonderful, if ultimately somewhat aloof, look at the prolific number of kidnappings in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and the social conditions that allow for it. Plays almost like a black comedy. Worth watching, especially if you plan on traveling to that region.

    Also, you must like fr... read moreogs, but not love them. Otherwise, this is not the film for you.
  • gator681
    August 20, 2007
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic]How are frog farms and ear replacement surgery connected in Brazil? I am glad you asked...[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]The enthralling documentary "Manda Bala" starts connecting the dots with Jadar Barbalho, a powerful and corru... read morept politician, who embezzled millions from SUDAM, a government program designed to help the most poverty stricken areas of Brazil. In the process he used frog farms for money laundering. The poor looking for any kind of work move to Sao Paulo where the wealth is concentrated. So, the very rich and the very poor are almost living side by side with each other. And some of the poor get desperate enough to kidnap the rich for ransom, occasionally cutting off their ears to further convince the relatives to pay up. Next, there are industries popping up like bulletproof cars, private helicopter services and ear reconstruction surgery.[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]The documentary contains footage of the videos made by kidnappers and of the ear reconstruction surgery.(Just thought I'd mention this, in case you are squeamish.) There are also interviews with people including Barbalho himself, judges, prosecutors, former kidnapping victims, policemen and even a kidnapper who elicits more sympathy than the owner of a Porsche.(At least, he does not drive a SUV.) All of which is scored to some very catchy music.[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]The underlying theme of the movie is that democracy is only as effective as its representatives. In Brazil, where corruption is rampant and a sitting Congressman cannot be tried by a public court, the results are disastrous. Remember that democracy is only a means to an end. [/font]
  • smootysveen
    March 16, 2007
    smootysveen
    Saw it at Sundance and it blew me away. Jason Kohn showed me the light when it comes to documentaries. It's because of this movie that I've taken an interest in Errol Morris. I hope people get to see this...I know I want to again.
  • logged81
    May 4, 2008
    logged81
    Corruption is everywhere and in the third world countried such as Brasil. you see how far reaching in the culture it goes. No one is safe from it in the struggling country.
  • yaelko
    December 7, 2007
    yaelko
    Disturbing, interesting, surprising: frogs, brazil kidnapping, cutting off ears and plastic surgeries of reconstruction, Great Music, visually impressive- documentary.
    Good.
  • rfpojman
    October 19, 2007
    rfpojman
    the best film I've ever seen disecting high level corruption...must see for people working on anti-corruption and in development. Also simply a gorgeously wonderful documentary film.

View All Manda Bala (Send a Bullet) Reviews

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones
January 4, 2008
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

To address the economic inequality of teeming Sao Paulo, Brazil, documentary maker Jason Kohn has joined several loosely related topics into a sort of rhetorical doughnut, leaving a hole in the center... Full Review

Bill Stamets
September 28, 2007
Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times

Artful framing and 23 peppy songs on the soundtrack lend a gloss to subject matter that alternately repels and fascinates... Full Review

Maureen M. Hart
September 27, 2007
Maureen M. Hart, Chicago Tribune

We see where this is going early on; by the end, despite the film's beautiful cinematography, persuasive subjects and ironically upbeat soundtrack, we just feel bludgeoned. Full Review

Philip Kennicott
September 27, 2007
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post

Manda Bala (Send a Bullet), a documentary about corruption, crime and human adaptation during difficult circumstances, is a slick, sly and beautifully shot documentary. Full Review

Tom Long
September 21, 2007
Tom Long, Detroit News

Wow, bet the Brazilian Tourism Board hates this movie. Full Review

John Monaghan
September 21, 2007
John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press

With a keen eye for wide-screen imagery, Kohn captures the personalities of his interview subjects. Full Review

Wesley Morris
September 14, 2007
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

The movie has a great flashiness -- copter shots that swoop over Sao Paulo; swift, playful editing; and pop-operatic sequences driven by catchy songs. Full Review

Kenneth Turan
August 31, 2007
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

Made with energy and style... Full Review

Joe Morgenstern
August 30, 2007
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

The director, a New Yorker of South American extraction named Jason Kohn, serves up a bewildering, yet seldom uninteresting, assortment of subjects. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
August 29, 2007
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Lurid, fascinating, sickening, and eye-opening. Full Review

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