A Wolf at the Door (2013)

Truly Dreadful Film

Disturbing yet enthralling

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

When the girl Clara (Isabelle Ribas) is kidnapped from the daycare, her mother Sylvia (Fabiula Nascimento) goes to the police station to report the missing child. The chief inspector interrogates Sylvia and learns that her husband Bernardo (Milhem Cortaz) is an enforcer in a bus company. The low-middle class couple does not have any possessions; therefore they do not believe their daughter has been abducted for money. Then he interrogates the owner of the daycare that explains that she received a phone call from Sylvia telling to deliver Clara to a neighbor that the girl knew very well. When Bernardo arrives, he accuses the twenty-two year-old Rosa (Leandra Leal) of kidnapping his daughter. He discloses to the Chief Inspector that Rosa and he had had a love affair and the police detectives bring Rosa to the station to be interrogated and she tells that a woman forced her to kidnap the girl. As long as the interrogation goes on, it is disclosed a dark story of betrayal, jealousy and revenge. "O Lobo Atrás da Porta", a.k.a. "A Wolf at the Door", is a dark and cruel but realistic tale of betrayal, jealousy, unrequited love and revenge. We are living right in this moment in Rio de Janeiro an investigation where a pregnant pharmacist was found totally burned and almost impossible to be identified. "O Lobo Atrás da Porta" is basically supported by a believable story, excellent screenplay that keeps the attention of the viewers until the last scene and magnificent direction and performance. It is indeed a remarkable Brazilian film. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "O Lobo Atrás da Porta" ("The Wolf Behind the Door")

"Wolf at the Door", debut film written and directed by Fernando Coimbra is an amazing piece of film making. A revenge mystery/drama will haunt you long after viewing.The illicit and extra marital affair can be destructive and it will cost so much, the collateral damage have always been ignored.Silvia and Bernardo's daughter has been kidnapped and it opens a can of worms when Bernardo's lover Rosa is being questioned as a main suspect.Fernando Coimbra has written the script with immaculate precision, all the revelations has perfect place and it unfolds as soon as you are going to make acuity about the happening. The characters are well drawn keeping the deceit; lies and betrayal at every point.Editing, cinematography and soundtrack are just brilliant, completing every frame perfectly; acting by main characters is believable, despair and desperation of the characters can be felt easing by the viewers.A well done revenge drama which deserves to watched.Highly recommended

Like the beginning of a love affair this movie starts light on its toes and superficial lulling you into thinking you're just going to get a slice of life kind of Brazilian romantic comedy but looks can be deceiving. Soon enough surfaces start to crack and there's no mistake you're watching naked, raw egos in mortal combat of the highest order. Ordinary people can be spectacularly duplicitous and damaging to themselves and those in their orbit, throwing their emotionally eviscerating punches with operatic gusto. It's not over till the fat lady sings and by the time she does you're watching a horror movie ripped from real life headlines.

Now, Fernando Coimbra knows how to make a film. This may be his very first feature length movie but it's shot, edited and acted to perfection. The plots does have some minor difficulties, but as a rule this tale of raw emotions and revenge works as if told by a veteran of the trade. The three leads are very good, especially so is Leandra Leal as Rosa, handling her role like one of the very best. The story might not be an original, but very few real original stories are still available for the picking. Hollywood has given up on originality long ago. If there's any originality to be found it's in the way stories are being told. Well Coimbra passes this test with flying colors. And considering the story he's telling he also does it without any excess, not using any gratuitous violence or any unwarranted emotional manipulation. All that while still maintaining suspense and characters development. It's a very good bottom line for any film, all the more when it's a feature length first. Fernando Coimbra is definitely a director to follow.