Less interested in analyzing São Paulo's place in the shaky Brazilian system than in jacking it up with shorthand, gawk-at-the-foreigners shocks
Comment
08/27/09
Manda Bala (2007)
79
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:48
Fresh:38
Rotten:10
Average Rating:6.8/10
Consensus: The exciting and fast-paced documentary Manda Bala shows many sides of Brazil -- from the humorous and upbeat to the violent and disturbing.
Runtime: 85 mins
Genre: Education/General Interest
US Box Office: $0
Synopsis: In Brazil, known as one of the world's most corrupt and violent countries, MANDA BALA follows a politician who uses a frog farm to steal billions of dollars, a wealthy businessman who spends a... [More]
Director: Jason Kohn
Reviews for Manda Bala
Click to read the article
04/23/09
Click to read the article
10/18/08
Click to read the article
10/18/08
Despite the seriousness of the topic, Manda Bala may be the most visually creative film you will see this year.
09/19/08
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 where his thesis should be.
01/04/08
Click to read the article
11/24/07
Kohn takes [risks] in this convoluted but fascinating documentary -- and most of those choices pay off.
11/01/07
Kohn is a talented filmmaker and he's tackled a subject not seen before in documentary film, but you almost feel bludgeoned by the depressing state of Brazil instead of introduced to the problems there.
11/01/07
Fascinating, and presented with such panache that you can't help but get drawn in.
10/11/07
Kohn does a good job of bringing grim issues to light in a surprisingly entertaining manner. But maybe with a few more years of experience, he could make those issues resonate more fully.
10/06/07
Kohn, who shot Manda Bala in lush widescreen format and makes deft use of Brazilian pop music to give the film a cleverly incongruous soundtrack, is intent on making a picture that is as visceral to watch as it is to contemplate.
10/05/07
Kohn has produced an astonishingly honest and frankly shocking documentary.
09/29/07
Artful framing and 23 peppy songs on the soundtrack lend a gloss to subject matter that alternately repels and fascinates...
09/28/07
Top CriticWe 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.
09/27/07
Manda Bala (Send a Bullet), a documentary about corruption, crime and human adaptation during difficult circumstances, is a slick, sly and beautifully shot documentary.
09/27/07
Top CriticA documentary that works like a puzzle.
09/21/07
Wow, bet the Brazilian Tourism Board hates this movie.
09/21/07
With a keen eye for wide-screen imagery, Kohn captures the personalities of his interview subjects.
09/21/07
The movie has a great flashiness -- copter shots that swoop over Sao Paulo; swift, playful editing; and pop-operatic sequences driven by catchy songs.
09/14/07
Latest News for Manda Bala
April 07, 2008:
RT on DVD: There Will Be Blood Drinks Lions for Lambs, Dewey Cox's Milkshakes
P. T. Anderson's Oscar-winning oil opus There Will Be Blood hits shelves this week, so if you missed Daniel Day-Lewis' astounding turn as the prospector with a heart as black as... More...
August 16, 2007:
Critical Consensus: Superbad is Certified Fresh; The Invasion Crash-Lands
This week at the movies, we've got some McLovin (Superbad, starring Michael Cera and Jonah Hill), pod people (The Invasion, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig), and... More...
August 04, 2007:
Trailer & Poster review 
More...
January 28, 2007:
Sundance Awards: "Padre Nuestro," "Grace is Gone" Among Competition Winners
Results are in for this year's Sundance festival winners, including awards for John Cusack's "Grace is Gone," Christopher Zalla's "Padre Nuestro," NASA... More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
Dressing Wonderland
Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.
Wes Anderson on Fox
The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox
Win Glee DVDs
We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.
Win tickets to Cold Souls
Double passes up for grabs to the new comedy starring Paul Giamatti.
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.
Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser
Win the entire 007 collection
Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection
IGN RSS Feeds