Daldry’s latest, “Trash,” co-directed with Christian Duurvoort, not only pitches the same Academy woo, it shamelessly mimics Best Picture winner “Slumdog Millionaire.” Based on a young adult novel by Andy Mulligan, “Trash” follows three teenaged Brazilian boys as they navigate a system of corruption out to destroy them. There’s millions of reals (Brazilian dollars) at stake, rap music blasting on the soundtrack, quick edits designed for maximum visual sexiness, minimal agency for our heroes, and vile graphic violence that serves only to titillate. It’s all wrapped up in a video-based narrative structure that can’t decide whether it’s cutesy or traumatizing, and cinematography that has the color palette of succotash.
And yet, this is Daldry’s most watchable movie since “Billy Elliott." It’s exploitative at times, but nowhere near as repulsive as “The Reader” or as cringe-inducing as “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close." And unlike “The Hours,” “Trash” kept me awake for all 114 minutes of its runtime. There were moments when I was truly entertained, but more often than not, I wanted to know more about the daily lives of these kids. Their existence, and the poverty they inhabit, is used as mere window dressing. Even the corrupt politician’s fraudulent actions become a MacGuffin of sorts, and it’s the catalyst for the entire plot.
Screenwriter Richard Curtis (“Love Actually”) gives his trio of protagonists moments to shine or play the hero in their action-filled story, but he’s far too concerned with skimming the surface of the plot’s mechanics. As good as the three teenaged leads are—and they’re quite good—“Trash” treats them like video game avatars. They are chased for much of the film by a corrupt cop who is like a human version of "The Terminator."
That nameless cop (Selton Mello) is looking for a wallet owned by Jose Angelo (Wagner Moura). Angelo was the right-hand man for Santos, whose mayoral campaign is filled with pay-outs designed to ensure his election. Angelo has the incriminating goods on Santos, which he steals along with garbage bags full of cash. Angelo’s wallet contains the key to exposing Santos, so when surrounded by cops, Angelo tosses it into the garbage dump below his apartment. In flashes of violence, we learn Jose Angelo gets tortured and killed.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7s7vGnqmempWnwW%2BvzqZmq52mnrK4v46tqZqrmGJ%2FcX2U