Cinemament Crimes and Cheats, ‘The Hanged’ entertains with a couple on the razor’s thread

FERNANDO COIMBRAwhich had already shown talent to explore the dark side of human relations in The wolf behind the door (2014), returns to theaters from this Thursday, August 14, with The hangeda film that exchanges the psychological suspense for a comedy of errors full of tension.

Its new feature dives in a Rio de Janeiro explored not as a tourist scenario, but as terrain for intrigue, crimes, cheating and power relations permeated by interests and betrayals. The result is a narrative that oscillates between corrosive mood and imminent violence, supported by a tuned cast and the safety of the director to handle rhythms and expectations.

In history, Regina (Leandra Leal, The man who copied) and Valerium (Irandhir Santos, Tattoo) They live comfortably thanks to the Empire of the Bicho game inherited by his family. While Valerium clings to the illusion of keeping hands clean, Regina He sees in the crime the chance to realize his dreams. The plan of the “last blow” that would seale the couple’s future, but quickly turns into an uncontrolled dive into a spiral of violence, exposing the distance between expectation and reality – and between the roles that each one believes to play.

The plot develops as a gear that never stops, driven by encounters and mismatches that quickly turn into a chain of unpredictable reactions. Militia, animal game, esoteric practices and improvisation situations intertwine almost naturally, composing a mosaic that reflects the chaotic complexity of the city. Although the approach does not propose to examine in depth the political or social dimension of the river, Coimbra It uses these elements to color and enhance the drama, making it clear that the background matters as much as the characters that inhabit it.

The film advances making each decision badly calculated by the couple put them on the razor wire and make room for the next catastrophe. There is something Brothers Coen (Fargo – A comedy of errors) In the structure – the feeling that everyone involved believe they are in control, when, in fact, they are dragged by a larger flow than them. The difference is that Coimbra Inject this formula a typically Brazilian seasoning, extracting humor from contradictions and lack of filters, never turning their characters into empty caricatures.

Leandra Leal It stands out as a figure as charismatic as it is dangerous, embodimenting a woman who manipulates situations with intelligence and malice, while maintaining a layer of unpredictability. Her performance contrasts with her husband’s, played by Irandhir Santos With subtlety and calculated ingenuity, composing a dynamic that supports much of the dramatic tension. The chemistry between the cast and the way the characters alternate between allies and enemies reinforce narrative fluidity.

The greatest merit of The hanged It is in the way he refuses to impose judgments or moralize his situations, making the public have fun with them. There are no life lessons or edifying messages; History is built on the internal logic of a world where rules are malleable and consequences rarely follow a fair pattern. This absence of “morals of history” is, paradoxically, what gives the film more freedom to move, exploring violence and cheating without having a closed speech.

In the end, what remains is the feeling of having followed a dangerous game, driven with precision and dry humor, where each displaced piece changes the board irreversibly. Coimbra It builds a portrait of a Rio de Janeiro where absurdity and brutality coexist almost banally, and does it without surrendering to free cynicism or folk portrait. The hanged It is, above all, an sharp narrative exercise – just like the razor in which the protagonist couple is (dis) balances – which understands that sometimes chaos does not need to be explained – just lived.

Also read:The 12 best Brazilian films of 2025 so far, according to Rolling Stone

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