Drama

Aquarius (2016): Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Name: Aquarius
Genre: Drama
Released: 2016-10-14
Duration: 2 h 22 min

Aquarius is a 2016 drama directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho. It runs 2 hours 22 minutes and earned $3.1 million worldwide. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best International Film at the Spirit Awards 2017. Critics gave it 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and 88 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.4/10.

IMDb rating: 7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
worldwide gross: $3.1M
award nomination: 1

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Watch the trailer Read the plot summary

Released: October 14, 2016
Runtime: 2h 22m (142 min)
Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Genre: Drama
Original language: Portuguese
Studio: Vitagraph Films
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is Aquarius About?

The premise of Aquarius without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In 1940s Recife, Brazil, Clara, a widow, fiercely protects her independence as the last resident of the historic Aquarius building. Determined to remain in her home, she faces pressure from a corporation eager to redevelop the property. Clara’s resolute spirit ignites a subtle conflict, compelling her to revisit painful memories and grapple with her regrets while confronting an uncertain future and the fight to maintain her autonomy.

Aquarius Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags

family relationships
gentrification
northeast brazil
apartment building
nostalgia
red toenails
recife brazil
class differences
cunnilingus
female full frontal nudity
female frontal nudity
male full frontal nudity

+38 more

erect penis
male explicit nudity
penis
male frontal nudity
pernambuco cinema
mother son relationship
memory
mother daughter relationship
music writer
aunt nephew relationship
woman in a shower
panties
panties pulled down
nipples
woman takes a shower
female feet
female rear nudity
widow
apartment
swimming
male prostitute
privilege
gay son
housekeeper
corruption
interview
rock music
younger version of character
real estate development
lifeguard
rich poor divide
favela
engineer
archive
2010s
year 1980
older woman younger man sex
very loud music

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Crew

The Director of Aquarius

Directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho.

Director Kleber Mendonça Filho

From the director

More from Kleber Mendonça Filho

More films directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, best-rated first: The Secret Agent, Pictures of Ghosts, Bacurau and Neighboring Sounds.

Full filmography

Ratings

Aquarius Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Aquarius 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and 88 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.4/10.

IMDb

7.4 /10
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Rotten Tomatoes

97% Tomatometer

Popcornmeter 78%
See on Rotten Tomatoes
Metacritic

88 Metascore

User score 8.7
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TMDB

65% User score
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Letterboxd

4.0 /5

1.2K ratings
See on Letterboxd

Plot

Aquarius Plot Summary

What happens in Aquarius from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 10 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1980, Clara and her family celebrate her aunt’s birthday at the Aquarius apartment building in Recife, a moment that marks the end of a difficult journey after breast cancer cost her the right breast. Fast forward to the present, and Clara is a retired journalist and writer still living in the same building, though now alone. Her husband has passed away 17 years earlier, and her three children have grown and moved out, leaving her with only the steady companionship of her housekeeper, Ladjane.

Full summary

The whole story of Aquarius, scene by scene

Read the full summary