A Dog's Will (2000)
O Auto da Compadecida
Lying with faith is not always a sin.
Keywords
A Dog's Will rating: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic
IMDb8.6/10· 21K votes
TMDb8.4/10· 1K votesWith 8.6/10 on IMDb, this film is well-rated across multiple platforms.
About A Dog's Will
The lively João Grilo and the sly Chicó are poor guys living in the hinterland who cheat a bunch of people in a small town in Northeastern Brazil. When they die, they have to be judged by Christ, the Devil and the Virgin Mary before they are admitted to paradise.
Cast of A Dog's Will
Matheus Nachtergaele
as João Grilo
Selton Mello
as Chicó
Fernanda Montenegro
as Compadecida
Rogério Cardoso
as Padre João
Denise Fraga
as Dora
Diogo Vilela
as Eurico
Luís Melo
as Diabo
Virginia Cavendish
as Rosinha
Bruno Garcia
as Vicentão
Enrique Díaz
as Joaquim Brejeiro
Maurício Gonçalves
as Jesus Cristo / Emanuel
Aramis Trindade
as Cabo 70
A Dog's Will facts
- Original title
- O Auto da Compadecida
- Box office
- $4.9M
- Collection
- O Auto da Compadecida: Coleção
Our take on A Dog's Will
This beloved 2000 Brazilian comedy follows two penniless tricksters in the rural Northeast whose schemes, lies and small cons spiral toward a riotous reckoning. Funny, folkloric and big-hearted, it became a national treasure of Brazilian cinema. If its sly humour and regional warmth charmed you, seek out picaresque comedies and folk tales about lovable rogues outwitting a hard world.
Ranked by the iRankMovies editorial teamUpdated August 2026MethodologyData sources
Audience opinions
What the audience liked
- •Fantasy romance blends comedy and drama with Brazilian magical realism charm
- •Arraes creates whimsical adaptation capturing theatrical spirit authentically
- •High-concept premise delivers surprising emotional depth and heartfelt character moments
What the audience disliked
- •Theatrical style and fantastical elements create tonal confusion for some audiences
- •Limited critical documentation makes expectations difficult to calibrate accurately
Trailer
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