"I'm Still Here" Review

A story of family tragedy and resilience, with one woman at the center

MINIMAL SPOILERS: This movie is based on real events, so I do not apologize for any spoilers.

This Brazilian feature follows the Paiva family as they navigate the 21-year military dictatorship Brazil faced from 1964 to 1985. Former congressman Rubens and his wife Eunice attempt to raise their five children safely while staying true to their political beliefs. When the military takes Rubens for questioning and he never returns, Eunice must fight for her family alone.

The movie is based on true events from the memoir of Marcelo Paiva, Eunice’s and Ruben’s son, but the story focuses on the emotional core of these events, with the politics of Brazil as a backdrop.

That emotional core is clear from the beginning, as the movie starts with shots of the Paiva children playing on the beach, swimming, and exhibiting their close bond. The first time that idyllic bubble gets popped comes when the oldest Paiva child, Veroca, is stopped by the military while driving over a bridge with her friends. This event halts the narrative so the audience can take in the context of seventies Brazil. Both the idyllic start and the abrupt shift perfectly set the tone for the rest of the movie. There are many moments of suffering and political turmoil, but they are spaced between beautiful family scenes. The result is a story about conquering tragedy through quiet resilience.

Considering I’m Still Here and its emotional narrative without RAVING about Fernanda Torres’ gut-wrenching performance would be impossible. I love Mikey Madison and am so happy about her Oscar win, but Fernanda Torres blew all the other nominees out of the water. This film is not dialogue-heavy; instead, it relies on the subtle acting of Torres and her co-stars to move the emotional narrative forward. Torres exudes strength throughout the film, which is a key aspect of the character. However, she also knows how to let vulnerability bubble to the surface. One scene sticks with me the most. When Eunice takes her children to the ice cream shop, she gets lost in the tables of happy family and friends. The tiniest hint of tears starts to well up in her eyes. While nothing is said and little expressed, we can clearly imagine what is going through her head. The weight of taking care of her children, fighting for answers about her husband, and the realization he may be gone forever all come through. The other performances in I’m Still Here are beautiful, but Torres holds the movie on her shoulders.

For that reason, the last third of I’m Still Here fell a little flat for me. We spent so much time building a relationship with this family and watching Eunice endure unimaginable strife, but the movie does not let us see her fight her way out. Through ending title cards, we learn that Eunice became a lawyer and continued to fight for her political causes, but the audience does not see any of that happen. The movie built such a real and strong family and skipped over the part where they came out of strife.

This movie would never have a happy ending. It’s based on real events and is more about the bittersweet feelings of life. However, the Paiva’s resilience does not have its full moment to shine. That decision could be intentional. The incomplete narrative mirrors Ruben’s incomplete story. If so, I commend the creativity but question the decision narratively.

Even though it seems ludicrous to ask for a movie to be longer, this one could have been. A little more development before its time jump would have helped round out the film’s themes.

I’m Still Here was thoroughly enjoyable, despite its gut-wrenching themes. It reflects family, resilience, and truth and reminds us how far we can stray from freedom.

I recommend this movie to anyone who has a family or lives in a country.

So yeah, don’t let the subtitles scare you — I recommend this to everyone.