based on a successful brazilian tv series of the same name which ran for four seasons, city of men features two actors from the original film (darlan cunha and douglas silva), now playing the roles of wallace and ace, two 'blood brothers' living in the notorious favelas located in rio de janeiro's hills where crime and drug related crime is endemic.

the two friends, just turned 18, for the most part are living lives extraneous to the gang warfare going on around them - while ace is battling with the task of coming to terms with premature parenthood, his friend wallace is seeking out a relationship with his own absent father.

a more conventionally structured film than the rustic, art house style of city of god, city of men shows a somewhat less horrifically violent perspective of rio favela life, presenting a slightly more moralizing view.