Sep. 23, 2009|Portugal|93 Min.|n/A
Genre: Drama;Fantasy;Mystery;Romance
Description: How to Draw a Perfect Circle (2009) – Full Movie in Portuguese (720p and 480p)
The film explores the complex dynamics within a wealthy family, delving into themes of incest, betrayal, and emotional turmoil. Guilherme (Rafael Morais) and his sister Sofia (Joana de Verona) live in their grandmother’s mansion, occasionally visited by their unconventional mother (Beatriz Batarda). Their father, Paul (Daniel Duval), a French intellectual with poor parenting skills, returns to Portugal from Paris, adding to the family’s dysfunction.
Guilherme becomes increasingly frustrated as he waits for Sofia to fulfill her promise of letting him take her virginity, resorting to self-gratification while she sleeps. His emotional turmoil deepens when he discovers Sofia allegedly having sex with another man, feeling deeply betrayed. The news of their grandmother’s death and their mother’s decision to sell the ancestral home further exacerbate his distress.
Moving in with his father offers no solace. Guilherme’s attempts to connect with him fail, culminating in a disturbing scene where he watches Paul engage with a prostitute. Earlier, during a game of Tic-Tac-Toe, Paul remarks that Guilherme can draw a perfect circle but always loses the game—a metaphor that arrives too late to carry significant emotional weight.
The film’s tone feels outdated, drawing heavily from French New Wave influences like Godard, yet lacking the same authenticity. Characters engage in clichéd behaviors—yearning gazes, chain-smoking, reading Virginia Woolf, and walking in the rain—resulting in a story that feels hollow, lacking the charm or magnetism of similar works like *The Dreamers*. However, the film does showcase moments of visual brilliance, such as an overhead shot of Guilherme standing between the beach and the ocean, hinting at the director’s potential.
Ultimately, *How to Draw a Perfect Circle* struggles to balance its artistic aspirations with meaningful storytelling, leaving viewers with more questions than answers.
Cast director: Marco Martins
Cast actor: Rafael Morais, Beatriz Batarda, Gonçalo Waddington, Daniel Duval, Albano Jerónimo, Lourdes Norberto, Carla Maciel, Joana de Verona, Carloto Cotta, Ricardo de Sá
Original name: Como Desenhar um Círculo Perfeito