The Secret Agent – Review

It is 1977 Brazil, in a very mischievous time, and the story begins with a yellow Volkswagen Beetle pulling up to a gas station. This is driven by Marcelo Alves (Moura), who notes a dead body under a cardboard cover lying in the dirt a few feet away from the tanks. The station worker comes out and regales him of a tale of last Sunday, as the man had come with a knife to rob the place and was promptly shot in the face.

The mess has yet to be cleaned up, as authorities and the station owners are slow to care. The station worker needs his job, so he must stay despite the rotting flesh. The Federal Highway Police even drive by, but fail to do anything about the body. Instead, they ask for Marcelo’s papers and license, not even knowing about the body. They are looking for “donations” to the local carnival. All Marcelo has to offer are cigarettes. After this small tobacco robbery, he gets back on the road. He is headed home after years away.

Meanwhile, police are called to the Oceanography Department, as a leg has been found sticking out of a small shark that was found dead close to shore. Odd… The rest of the city is celebrating the Brazil carnival, which begins annually just before Ash Wednesday. Marcelo finally gets to the city and a local Dona Sebastiana (Maria) leads him to his apartment in the Ofiro “Madhouse” complex. He is staying at Dona’s niece’s apartment for a while.

So, who is this man, and why do we care about his journey? Well, things quickly piece themselves together. He reconnects with his young son, as his wife has passed away, but he himself has been abroad working as a professor and in research. While his past holds mysteries, he now looks for peace in his hometown for his family, yet life does not go as expected. Nefarious cops, criminal happenings, hitmen, and agents from his past are all converging around Marcelo. Oh, and there was that whole shark eating a leg thing, too. As plots circle around the city inhabitants, will Marcelo be able to keep his family safe?

The Secret Agent is expertly acted, and has multiple intriguing plot lines. It covers plenty of ground historically, politically, ethically and morally. The city is colorful and its inhabitants are well fleshed out in the script. The rich acting makes it all feel quite realistic, and there is a heightened sense of tension when the movie gets going. While it is deliberately paced, it never feels boring. The film is of a high quality and is a strong presentation of its story, and for me it was a good experience all around.