The Blue Trail

 The Blue Trail, one of five films edged out by The Secret Agent as Brazil’s Oscar entry, is now readily available stateside. Due to Oscar rules, it won’t be in contention for anything next year. Let’s see if you should check it out anyway.

In the not-too-distant future, the Brazilian government mandates that the elderly be sent to elsewhere for the sake of the economy. Nobody ever hears from them again, which is a reasonable cause for concern for 77-year-old Tereza (Denise Weinberg). She's now at the new age limit, which used to be eighty, so she's forced into retirement, placed under the care of her daughter Joanna (Clarissa Pinheiro), and bestowed some patronizing honors. It's only a matter of time before she's bused off to "The Colony."

In the meantime, Tereza decides to go on her first plane ride. But since Joanna won’t let her fly commercial, she resorts to flying illegal. She pays a boat captain, Cadu (Rodrigo Santoro), to take her up the Amazon to an airport in Itacoatiara. Ludemir (Adanillo), her likeliest pilot, is grounded by mechanical and money problems. She finds better luck back on the water with Roberta (Miriam Socorrás), a digital-Bible seller who bought her freedom. She finds temporary freedom with the hallucinogenic mucus of a “blue drool snail.” But there’s still the threat of being sent elsewhere …

Which isn't exactly as prevalent as it sounds. 

One wouldn’t expect a dystopian film to be leisurely, but this one is. There’s no tangible adversary pursuing Tereza, who's mostly impeded instead by obnoxious rules lawyers. While she gets caught midway through, it’s literally clear sailing once she escapes. If the colony has a terrible secret, like in Logan’s Run, we’re never made aware of it. Still, ominous graffiti - one of which reads “Give Me Back My Grandma!” - hints at nothing good, but it is good world-building. But director Gabriel Mascaro is more concerned with Tereza’s personal journey than a broader scope.

And what can you expect out of this journey? For starters, cinematographer Guillermo Garza's work is a delightfully scenic trip across the Amazon. Its most striking images, however, center around its most bizarre turn - a fish fight. Yes, fish fight, which people like Tereza gamble on. Bizarre as it is, you'll be happy with her when she wins big. Further along, we have Memo Guerra's eerily serene score, as well as a quirky ensemble assembled by The Secret Agent's own Gabriel Domingues. There's Tereza, of course, who's quite compelling as she navigates her absurd society. She's pretty good when paired with Cadu, but she's glorious when paired with Roberta. Cadu makes the most of his screentime, but Roberta should have been in the film a bit more. 

I think it's worth going on The Blue Trail even once. Sure, it's only 86-minutes long, which means some concepts and characters aren't fully utilized. But Tereza's personal journey makes it an interesting one. If anything, it's not your typical dystopian film. I think I said enough.