Lula, o Filho do Brasil 2010

Stephen Holden, New York Times: A conventional, rather shallow up-by-your-bootstraps drama, but with a difference. Read more

David Fear, Time Out: You're mostly left with facts, dates and iconic poses. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: Lula, Son of Brazil is proof that even charismatic political figures, in this case, Brazil's former president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, can be felled by the requirements of the standard biopic genre. Read more

Stephen Farber, Hollywood Reporter: Barreto's direction doesn't avoid the flatness of many TV biographies, and the film drags on too long to captivate audiences who do not revere Lula as their national hero. Read more

Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times: Glossing over such inconvenient facts as out-of-wedlock fatherhood, this unabashed encomium skimps on complexity and insight in the name of veneration. Read more

Ella Taylor, NPR: Long on hero worship and woefully short on insight, Lula: Son of Brazil oozes good intentions, but it wouldn't look out of place in a retrospective of early Soviet workerist cinema. Read more

V.A. Musetto, New York Post: With its $5 million budget, "Lula'' is said to be Brazil's most expensive movie yet. It's a shame the money wasn't better spent. Read more

Robert Koehler, Variety: Read more

Melissa Anderson, Village Voice: Forget Son of Brazil: This syrupy origin story/biopic on the nation's beloved reformist president, whose second term ended in 2010, should be titled Mama's Boy. Read more