Synopsis
A sweeping drama set in the chaotic aftermath of the US invasion of Iraq, where the life of top UN diplomat Brazilian Sérgio Vieira de Mello hangs in the balance during the most treacherous mission of his career.
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Cast
- Wagner MouraSérgio Vieira de Mello
- Ana de ArmasCarolina Larriera
- Garret DillahuntBill Von Zehle
- Will DaltonAndre Valentine
- Bradley WhitfordPaul Bremer
- Brían F. O'ByrneGil Loescher
- Clemens SchickGaby Pichon
- Clarisse AbujamraGilda Vieira de Mello
- Pedro HossiGeneral Xanana Gusmão
- Sahajak BoonthanakitIeng Sary
Recommendations
- 80
The Hollywood Reporter
This portrait of influential U.N. diplomat Sergio Vieira de Mello benefits immensely from two magnetic leads, Wagner Moura and Ana de Armas, whose onscreen chemistry is undeniable; but its deft sense of structure is of equal importance, making it an engrossing picture even for those who know next to nothing about its subject or settings. - 70
Rolling Stone
Sergio is not a film about a saint or a sinner, but an attempt that succeeds more often than not to create a portrait of a man in full. Yes, it also occasionally puts him on a pedestal — but in these dark days, advocating for hope and idealism feels exactly right. - 63
The Associated Press
You’re always waiting for the movie to really get going. It’s shot like a political thriller without the thrills. - 60
Time
Sergio’s intentions are pure, and the movie is pleasingly old-school in the way it merges political drama — and tragedy — with romance. Sometimes, though, the burden of playing a dedicated servant of the people appears to be too much for Moura: the performance feels stiff and stately, as if he’s considered every breath. Moura makes us see the gleaming role model, but it’s much harder to see the man underneath — and you can’t leave a legacy without first having had a heartbeat. - 60
Screen Rant
Uneven yet sincere in its execution, Sergio combines simplified political melodrama with a tragic love story powered by its leads' performances. - 60
The Guardian
The sweeping, full-throated romance of the last act might not work for some, who could conceivably argue its dominance leaves gaps in Sérgio’s professional life, but it makes for an emotionally satisfying ending. - 50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Wagner Moura (Narcos’s Pablo Escobar himself) does what he can as the sturdy Sergio, and the actor has strong, near-instant chemistry with a love interest played by Ana de Armas. - 50
Variety
Sergio Vieira de Mello was, by all accounts, not a man who let fear of making the wrong decision stop him from acting decisively, and it’s a shame that the soft-edged romantic prevarications of Sergio prevent the film from embodying that same dynamism.
