Name: Overhaul
Genre: Action, Thriller, Drama
Released: 2023-08-28T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Thiago Martins, Sheron Menezzes, Raphael Logam, Milhem Cortaz, Evandro Mesquita

The opening shot of Overhaul (2023) is a roaring engine, the camera mounted inside a truck cab as it speeds down an empty highway at night. The headlights carve through the darkness, illuminating the rain-streaked windshield in a way that feels both claustrophobic and exhilarating. This is director Tomás Portella’s debut feature, and from the first frame, it’s clear he wants to make his mark on the action-thriller genre. But Overhaul isn’t just about speed and spectacle—it’s also a character study of a man pushed to his limits, wrapped in the framework of a high-stakes heist.

Thiago Martins stars as Roger Mattos, a former truck racer whose life is derailed after a personal tragedy. The film’s first act is its strongest, focusing on Roger’s descent into despair. Martins delivers a grounded, emotionally raw performance, particularly in quieter moments where the camera lingers on his face—eyes red from exhaustion, jaw clenched in quiet fury—as he navigates grief and financial ruin. When he’s offered a job as the getaway driver for Danilo’s (Raphael Logam) gang of thieves, the film shifts gears into something closer to a crime thriller. Portella showcases a knack for tension, particularly in a standout sequence where Roger evades pursuers through Rio de Janeiro’s winding streets at night. The city’s neon lights reflect off rain-slicked pavement, creating a visual rhythm that mirrors the pounding heartbeat of the chase.

But Overhaul stumbles when it tries to balance its emotional core with its genre obligations. While Portella excels at crafting visceral action sequences, the heist itself feels derivative, relying too heavily on clichés—hidden betrayals, last-minute twists—that lack the freshness of films like Drive or Baby Driver. Sheron Menezzes, who plays both Rainha and Débora, brings a magnetic intensity to her dual roles, but her character arcs are underdeveloped. The emotional beats tied to her performances feel abrupt rather than earned, as if the script is trying to cram too much into too little time.

The film’s supporting cast fares similarly. Evandro Mesquita as Odilon and Paulo Vilhena as Afonso bring gravitas to their roles, but their moral ambiguities never fully materialize. Both characters are introduced with potential—Odilon as a mentor figure, Afonso as a wildcard—but their arcs feel rushed, leaving their motivations unclear. Even Milhem Cortaz’s Fumaça/Smokey, a seasoned criminal with a sharp tongue, lacks depth beyond his tough-guy exterior.

Portella’s direction is promising but inconsistent. He has an eye for visually striking moments—like the high-speed chase through Rio or a tense standoff in an abandoned warehouse—but he struggles to maintain momentum during quieter scenes. The film’s pacing drags in its third act, particularly as it attempts to resolve multiple subplots involving betrayal and redemption. A climactic confrontation between Roger and Danilo lacks the emotional weight of earlier set pieces, leaving the audience with a sense of whiplash rather than catharsis.

One of Overhaul’s few standout originalities is its setting. The film leans heavily into its Brazilian backdrop, using the vibrant chaos of Rio de Janeiro as more than just a backdrop—it’s a character in itself. The city’s gritty underbelly contrasts with its pulsing nightlife, creating a visual and thematic tension that elevates the story beyond a typical heist flick. However, this ambition isn’t fully realized. While Portella captures the energy of the city, he doesn’t always use it to deepen the narrative or character development.

The film’s score is another bright spot, with pulsing electronic beats that heighten the tension during action sequences. The music complements the visuals well, particularly in the chase scenes, where the rhythm of the score mirrors the pounding of Roger’s heart as he weaves through traffic. However, the soundtrack falters during quieter moments, relying too often on generic emotional cues rather than deeper thematic exploration.

Overhaul is a film that wants to be many things at once—a gripping thriller, an emotional character study, and a visually striking homage to its setting. While it succeeds in delivering some impressive action sequences and a standout performance from Thiago Martins, it ultimately falls short of its lofty ambitions. The pacing issues, underdeveloped supporting characters, and derivative plot points hold the film back from greatness.

That said, Overhaul isn’t without merit. Portella’s direction shows promise, particularly in his ability to craft visually compelling sequences. Thiago Martins delivers a performance that anchors the film, even when the script falters.