Opening with unassuming portraits of passengers on their commute in the city of Belo Horizonte, “On Behalf of My Son” begins with an enticing visual setup for individual stories that don’t fully materialize. In the moment, however, Martins imbues tremendous intrigue through snippets of the seemingly distracted middle-aged driver, Wesley (Renato Novaes), and eventually, through the crash itself. Its presentation is shocking and harrowing even if you know it’s coming.
Martins has a deft eye for place and environment. Many of the victims are poor, and his camera’s tour of Black Brazilian lives hints at a multifaceted cultural portrait not usually contained within the Brazilian cinema that takes hold in North America. (At least, not since “City of God.”) However, the fluidity of his exploration is hardened early on, thanks to a tedious focus on hitting the same beats with little variety or escalation. It is, at best, intriguing from a safe distance, where its detailed, rundown textures can tell you more about its characters’ struggles than up-close depiction of their inner lives ever does.
