VOD Review - The Family Doorman

It's a bit of a reach, but the film that came to mind is the recent blockbuster Joker (2019). This film won't get the kind of attention or box office glory because this film doesn't involve one of the most famous and popular, comic-book villains of all-time. This film doesn't have that kind of clout, but it's dealing with a similar type of person and similar types of themes. The titular character here doesn't dress in clown makeup. He's not a standup comic, so there's a bit more seriousness at play in this work, written and directed by Aaron Salles Torres. However, I think this is a more coherent and more tightly conceived story. It's a simpler story. It's not trying to be as political. It's narrowly focused on a young man with a mental illness and possibly a mental disability. Yet, it's done with even more realism than Joker. Torres though is more claustrophobic, not making the city at large a great presence unlike Phillips. He's instead confined to one building.

The film is perhaps positioned or marketed as more of a thriller or horror film. Torres lays down some creepy and horror-like music. The opening shot could be interpreted in several ways, certainly in a way that makes you uneasy, as if you're watching a horror flick. This movie is never scary though. It's not to say that Joker was scary, but there was a lot more blunt and graphic violence there. This film is a bit more muted. There are moments of intense drama. There's really only one moment of terror, but it's not as if we're dealing with a serial killer. The protagonist here isn't as pathetic. The only controversial thing here is its leaning into this homophobic idea that gay men can't help but lust after straight guys.

Fernando Alves Pinto stars as Inácio, the doorman in an apartment building in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It's not clear how old he is, but he looks old enough to be living on his own. Unfortunately, he lives with his middle age parents in a tiny apartment within the same building where he works. Yet, the other apartments seem way nicer than theirs. The reason Inácio has the job is because his father works as the caretaker for the building, but recently his father has gotten sick. It's not clear why Inácio would work there and why he doesn't have his own place. Yet, it's implied that he's a bit slow, having some kind of mental challenge or mental disability, which has held him back socially and economically. Unlike Joker though, his mental illness is a subtle thing. We're not hit over the head with it.

Yet, it does become apparent that Inácio is obsessed with a tenant in the building, a very handsome and athletic man named Antônio, played by Lucas Malvacini. Unfortunately, Antônio is straight and has no interest in Inácio. In fact, Antônio has a girlfriend, a beautiful one whom he's dating. It's not clear how long Inácio has obsessed or if he has any other obsessions. It's not clear why Inácio is obsessing over this one guy other than the fact that he is very attractive and very sexy. It's not clear for example what prompted Inácio's obsession or fascination. He mainly watches Antônio on the security cameras whenever he's going to or leaving his apartment. Inácio is able to steal a pair of Antônio's gym shorts that get dropped and left behind in the elevator one day. From then on, Inácio fetishizes those shorts, frequently masturbating to them.

Catarina Abdalla co-stars as Zaira, the mother to Inácio. She comes across as a very nagging mother. She yells at her husband and her son. She comes across as not caring about her husband and eager to move onto another guy, mainly for the money. This view of Zaira is exclusively from the perspective of Inácio who like the protagonist in Joker is possibly an unreliable narrator. However, there is a moment where Zaira talks to women sent from a hospital and she does seem like a woman who is exhausted but who does care about her son.

The film concentrates on the relationship between Zaira and Inácio, a possible co-dependent relationship or at least Inácio's perception of that relationship, which might be skewed. It shows how poverty can negatively affect a relationship like that. The film might revel in the poverty a bit much, but again it doesn't hit us over the head with classism as Joker did. It invokes homoeroticism but doesn't examine it too much. It invokes homophobia but doesn't examine it too much.

Quando o galo cantar pela terceira vez renegarás tua mãe.
Not Rated but contains language and full-frontal male nudity.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 11 mins.

Available on various digital platforms, including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu and cable VOD.