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This political thriller is set against the background of actual turmoil in Brazil in the 1970s, so viewers familiar with that time and place in history will get the most out of O Bom Burgues. Lucas (José Wilker) is a banker with clandestine leftist sympathies who is embezzling money from the bank to support the Communist Party, and also privately supporting a more radical group of guerrillas/terrorists that even the Party is against. Lucas' sister is a member of that paramilitary unit, and when they capture the Swiss ambassador and ask for certain concessions from the government, the action leads to serious trouble for Lucas. Not to mention the fact that his mistress is also the lover of a well-known ultra-conservative - complicating matters several times over. Those unfamiliar with Brazilian history will still enjoy the excitement in this film - even if confused now and again.