When Innocence Fades: Erotico
Bertrand-Ruiz and Jader Neto’s Erotico is a bold, unflinching examination of innocence tainted by exposure to adult realities, told through the tender and troubled eyes of its young protagonist, Zeca. With a narrative as intimate as a whispered confession and cinematography that bathes even the harshest truths in haunting beauty, Erotico dares to dive into society’s unspoken contradictions around sexuality, media, and mental health.
At its core, Erotico is a slice-of-life tale about a boy thrust into a world he’s too young to fully understand. Zeca’s upbringing—saturated with pornography and desensitizing sexual content—sets him adrift in a stormy sea of skewed expectations and fragile masculinity. As he grows older, the film masterfully peels back layers of societal complicity, revealing how normalized exploitation and misogyny damage not just women, but also the men who internalize these values.
Bertrand-Ruiz and Barbalho Neto’s collaboration shines through their deft handling of this heavy subject matter. The screenplay brims with nuance, never leaning into melodrama but instead letting the quiet, haunting moments speak louder than words.
The cinematography and production design are a marvel, presenting Zeca’s life as both a vibrant and oppressive canvas. Each frame feels alive, drenched in atmosphere yet charged with an unshakable sadness. The film’s visuals are supported by an evocative sound design, where silence often speaks volumes.
Thematically, Erotico is unapologetically daring. It doesn’t merely critique the misogyny woven into the fabric of society; it also calls attention to the stigma surrounding male vulnerability and the oft-ignored crisis of men’s mental health.
However, while Erotico thrives in its early acts, the third act loses some of its momentum. The pacing slackens as the film nears its conclusion, and the ending, while thematically consistent, lacks the spark needed to deliver a lasting emotional crescendo.
In the end, Erotico is a film that lingers like a half-remembered dream, or a question left unanswered. Because in a world that profits from distortion, reclaiming one’s own humanity is the most radical act of all.
