The streets of early-1950s Rio de Janeiro make a compelling backdrop to a tale that is mostly told in repetitive close-ups and contrived plot elements that don't hold up to scrutiny. The acting is uneven at best, but the biggest problem (especially for a director as experienced as Madame Satã's Karim Aïnouz) is that the characters of two sisters forced apart by their patriarchal pig of a father are never convincingly established.

The late entry of veteran Fernanda Montenegro offers the film's only emotional punch. But that comes more than two hours into this soapy slog.