Overview
A haunting tale of survival amidst the brutality of a corrupt system.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- bleak
- harrowing
- lyrical
- serious film night
- world cinema viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Pixote as a classic, praising its uncompromising poetic realism, naturalistic performances, and devastating depiction of institutional neglect.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film combines raw performances, street locations, and documentary-like observation with lyrical imagery.
Police round-ups, torture, detention-center corruption, and fabricated criminal blame structure Pixote's ordeal.
Pixote's movement from homelessness and detention into escalating street crime is presented as a consequence of systemic neglect.
The runaway children's lack of protection, housing, and legal recourse makes social privilege the film's implicit counterpoint.
Films like Pixote, and why
The 400 Blows
shared poetic realism, marginalized youth, and uncompromising social drama
City of God
shared raw street realism, child vulnerability, and institutional neglect
Los Olvidados
shared documentary-like naturalism, urban poverty, and morally bleak crime drama
Nobody Knows
shared child-centered social realism, systemic deprivation, and lyrical harshness
Movie Details
- Director
- Héctor Babenco
- Release Date
- 1980-09-26
- Runtime
- 127 min
- Rating
- 7.9 / 10 (260)
Cast
- Fernando Ramos da Silva
- Jorge Julião
- Gilberto Moura
- Edilson Lino
- Zenildo Oliveira Santos
- Claudio Bernardo
- Israel Feres David
- Jose Nilson Martin Dos Santos
- Marília Pêra
- Jardel Filho
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Pixote about?
- A runaway child is pushed from police abuse into a criminal underworld where survival steadily erodes innocence.
- What is Pixote like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Pixote as measured, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Pixote violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Pixote as graphic.
- What did critics think of Pixote?
- Critics broadly regard Pixote as a classic, praising its uncompromising poetic realism, naturalistic performances, and devastating depiction of institutional neglect.
- Which films are like Pixote?
- Films with a similar feel include The 400 Blows, City of God, Los Olvidados, and Nobody Knows.
- How long is Pixote?
- Pixote runs 127 minutes.
- Where can I watch Pixote?
- In United States, Pixote is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video.
