Heleno (2011) Reviews

The troubled life of one of Brazil's most legendary sports heroes is brought to the screen in this drama based on the true story of Heleno de Freitas. As a young man, Heleno (Rodrigo Santoro) displayed a remarkable talent for football (known as soccer in North America), and his intense, powerfully physical playing style soon made him a star, despite his arrogant attitude and failings as a team player. In the early 1940s, Heleno seems poised to lead his team to the World Cup championship, and he earns a reputation as a notorious ladies' man, despite the fact he's married and has children. While World War II was little felt in Brazil, the war in Europe kept World Cup tournaments from being held in 1942 and 1946, preventing Heleno from achieving his greatest dream, and his unwillingness to cooperate with coaches and teammates (as well as a growing dependence on drugs) ends with him being traded to a team in Argentina. Heleno's reckless love life begins catching up with him as his long-standing relationship with a sexy nightclub entertainer, Diamantina (Angie Cepeda), drives a final stake through the heart of his marriage, and Heleno contracts a venereal disease which he refuses to have properly treated. Heleno was an official selection at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi