The Trespasser

Music blasts ''Welcome to the nightmare of reality!'' over images of a funeral at the beginning of this edgy South American thri lIer. Three friends and business partners run a successful bUilding company. When a dispute breaks out among them, two of the partners decide to eliminate the third. A hired killer is brought in to solve their problems but ends up creating more when he refuses to leave them alone. Paulo Miklos, the famous Brazilian rock star, makes his film debut as Anisio, the slightly psychopathic yet charming' assassin, reminiscent of early De Niro. This story of greed and betrayal is shot in a realistic manner unusual for the genre. Beta Brant employs a rather ''naked'' style that depends largely on the strength of the acting. Music in the dramatic scenes is kept to a minimum and is highlighted instead in the slick montage sequences of Sao Paulo. At times, the film takes on an almost documentary feel, capturing the energy and rhythm of street life. From power politics in the corporate high-rises, to sex and drugs in the underworld, Brant presents a wide spectrum of Brazilian society. Nicole Paglia