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Four Days in September

Four Days in September

Their goal: freedom. Their only hope: an international incident. Their target: the American ambassador.

1997110 minRMidcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Director
Bruno Barreto
Starring
Alan Arkin, Pedro Cardoso, Fernanda Torres, Luiz Fernando Guimarães

Fernando, a journalist, and his friend César join terrorist group MR8 in order to fight Brazilian dictatorial regime during the late sixties. César, however, is wounded and captured during a bank hold up. Fernando then decides to kidnap the American ambassador in Brazil and ask for the release of fifteen political prisoners in exchange for his life.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Four Days in September?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Four Days in September to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Four Days in September?

Four Days in September earns 7 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 5% in Action.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Four Days in September worth watching?

Four Days in September's Midcredits score is the 94th percentile of all films, from 40K ratings across 4 sources. 82% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

94th percentile

Better received than 94% of films

97th percentile among Action94th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)92nd
Approval (how many liked it)92nd

75 /100

92nd percentile of all films

96th percentile among Action94th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

82% liked it

92nd percentile of all films

95th percentile among Action93rd percentile among 1990s
82% rated it 7–1018% rated it 1–6

Critics 59% · Audience 76%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 6 wins / 9 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Foreign Language Film

Reach

How many have seen it

82nd percentile

40K ratings across platforms

71st percentile among Action76th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 35% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$32K
Domestic gross$398K
Worldwide gross$398K

27th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a restrained, character-driven political thriller with historical ambitions.

Fans praised

  • Even-handed handling of both rebels and police, humanizing every side
  • Alan Arkin's performance anchors a strong cast
  • Suspenseful tension rooted in character interactions rather than action

Detractors panned

  • Lacks depth in exploring the political and moral complexities it raises
  • Uneven script and a flat ending
  • The pursuit of historical fidelity leaves it dramatically uninvolving

What stands out

Acting75

Arkin and the Brazilian leads deliver believable, human performances with good chemistry

Atmosphere75

Convincingly recreates the tension of a military dictatorship and the constraints of the era

CharactersDivisive70

Realistic and human characterizations, though some critics find them underdeveloped

TensionDivisive70

Suspense is derived from ideological dilemmas and character interactions rather than stand-offs

Emotional impact65

Humanizing portraits generate empathy, though critics note some detachment

Dialogue65

Naturalistic and functional, conveying political ideals without preaching

Plot and storyDivisive60

Grounded retelling of a real kidnapping, but criticized for lacking narrative drive

Pacing55

Deliberate, slow-burn rhythm that some find absorbing and others tedious

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 20 points higher than US viewers.

Watch experience

What is Four Days in September like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its historical material with grave seriousness, maintaining a tense, brooding atmosphere.
The rideThe hostage situation sustains a high level of tension and impending dread from the kidnapping onward.
StructureThe story unfolds in a linear chronological fashion, following the kidnapping and its consequences.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer reflecting on the compromises and moral complexities of political resistance, while the real historical resolution lends a bittersweet note.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe plot is driven by a left-wing urban guerrilla group's mission to kidnap the American ambassador and force the Brazilian government to release political prisoners.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% (this title) · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Oppression · 4% of filmsSurvivalFreedom · 5% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores political oppression under a dictatorship, and the lengths to which people go to fight it, with the ambassador's survival becoming a bargaining chip.
StanceThe film questions the morality and effectiveness of political violence and the government's response, without endorsing either side.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Stewart Copeland
SettingRio de Janeiro, Brazil during the military dictatorship
MusicThe score likely blends tension-building orchestration with ambient elements to underscore the political thriller atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Four Days in September okay for kids?

R

Four Days in September is rated R: “Rated R for some language and violence” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at mild (27/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (56/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Brazil14
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (16 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Four Days in September have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Four Days in September?

Cast

3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Alan Arkin
as Charles Burke Elbrick
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Pedro Cardoso
as Fernando Gabeira
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Fernanda Torres
as Maria
Luiz Fernando Guimarães
as Marcão
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Cláudia Abreu
as Reneé
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Nelson Dantas
as Toledo
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Matheus Nachtergaele
as Jonas
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Marco Ricca
as Henrique
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Maurício Gonçalves
as Brandão
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Caio Junqueira
as Julio
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Four Days in September?

Movies like Four Days in September include Last Stop 174 (2008), Marighella (2019) and I'm Still Here (2024). Of the 8 closest matches, most are captor-and-captive stories, and several are political thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

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What else shares a premise, people or place with Four Days in September?

1.1K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: political thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.