Viva Riva! (2011)
72%RT Audience Score: 51%
Awards & Nominations: 10 nominations
Vibrant and violent, Viva Riva is a stylish, fast-paced crime drama
Viva Riva! is the kind of movie that makes you want to smuggle gas just to feel as cool as the main character. With a killer soundtrack and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this Congolese crime thriller is a must-watch. It’s got everything you could want: violence, sex, and even a little bit of humor. Plus, it’s always exciting to see a directorial debut that knocks it out of the park. So grab some popcorn and get ready for a wild ride with Viva Riva!
Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros., Heyday Films, 1492 Pictures,
Distributor
Music Box Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for sexual content, language and some drug and alcohol use – all involving teens
Year of Release
2012
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital DTS
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 36m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 10, 2011 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 13, 2011
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Patsha Bay, Manie Malone, Hoji Fortuna, Marlene Longange, Diplome Amekindra, Alex Herabo, directed by Djo Munga, written by Djo Munga, genre: drama, box office performance: $61.8K, budget: unknown, reviewed by Chris Chang, Roger Ebert, Rick Groen, Radheyan Simonpillai, Bruce DeMara, Joe Williams, Jack Fleischer, Kelly Jane Torrance, Sarah Manvel, Dennis Schwartz, Violet Lucca, MPAA rating: R, produced by Djo Munga, original language: French (Canada), runtime: 1h 36m, distributor: Music Box Films, gasoline shortage, crime drama, smuggles gas, gangster, violence, sex, nudity, drug use, corruption, Congo, Kinshasa, nightclub, lesbian-friendly, rolling blackouts, gasoline shortages, Church, dollars, irresponsible, blaxploitation
Worldwide gross: $655,802
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $845,476
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,635
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 92,200
US/Canada gross: $655,802
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $845,476
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,226
US/Canada opening weekend: $65,103
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $83,932
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,007
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Manie Malone – Nora
Hoji Fortuna – Cesar
Marlene Longange – Madam Commander
Diplome Amekindra – Azor
Alex Herabo – J.M.
Director – Djo Munga
Producer – Djo Munga
Writers – Djo Munga, Djo Munga
Director(s)
Djo Munga
Writer(s)
Djo Munga, Djo Munga
Producer(s)
Djo Munga
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
10 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (60) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (52) | Rotten (8)
Meet Riva (the spectacular Patsha Bay), a man who thrives on scarcity: he smuggles gas, and has recently come upon a mother lode-which becomes, of course, a powder keg.
November 7, 2013
Chris Chang
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
A slick, exciting, well-made crime thriller, dripping with atmosphere.
August 18, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
August 12, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
A wild and seductive crime thriller, Viva Riva! is a promising early step for Congolese pulp cinema.
August 5, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Radheyan Simonpillai
NOW Toronto
TOP CRITIC
It feels so raw and urgent and real.
August 4, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
Bruce DeMara
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
Pulsing with polyglot music and outlaw vigor, “Viva Riva!” is a raucous reply to the new world order.
July 21, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
Joe Williams
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
In the end, this extremely dark and voyeuristic journey was something I’d never seen before, and I absolutely dug it.
March 24, 2021
Jack Fleischer
Battleship Pretension
Viva Riva! is the directorial debut of Djo Munga, and this clever caper makes him a man to watch.
January 8, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
Kelly Jane Torrance
Washington Examiner
It’s brilliant to see a movie where the script is as smart as the staging, and where the staging doesn’t just make you wonder how much it has cost. And it’s so much fun to see a movie that takes its perfect setup and perfectly delivers.
August 9, 2018
Sarah Manvel
Critic’s Notebook
What more can you ask from a gangster thriller than kinky sex, extreme violence, comical playfulness and soulful music?
June 10, 2016 | Rating: B+
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
One of the most vivid, ambitious cinematic offerings of 2011.
June 6, 2016
Violet Lucca
The L Magazine
Pulpy flourishes lend it the crude spirit of a Warner Brothers gangster picture from the 1930s, albeit one with an unexpectedly carnal edge.
May 3, 2015
Sean Burns
Philadelphia Weekly…
Plot
The story of a bullied fifteen-year-old boy in a small town as he struggles to adjust to his difficult life.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Viva Riva! on Fresh Kernels.
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