
Likened to Sammy Davis, Jr. in the film, Simonal’s soulful vocals and commanding stage presence made him one of Brazil’s top all-around entertainers. He perfected a blend of orchestral pop, soul, and Brazilian musical styles known as “pilantragem.” However, having ruled the Brazilian charts for several years, Simonal was a bit concerned when his accountant Rafael Vivani informed him he was fast approaching bankruptcy. His response to Vivani would be rather uncharitably characterized by the accountant as kidnapping and extortion. Serious charges perhaps, but it was the unsubstantiated stories of Simonal’s complicity with the military authorities which emerged during the resulting trial that really derailed his career.
Suddenly, Simonal’s name was anathema to the Brazilian Left, which included pretty much the entire music scene. He would scuffle and mount comebacks for the remainder of his life, but he never reclaimed a fraction of his past glory. Following his death in 2000, his sons continued Simonal’s campaign to clear his name in the Brazilian media, and indeed, their participation in Tough can be considered part of that effort.
While Manoel, Langer, and Leal do not definitively “exonerate” Simonal, they clearly present him in

Regardless of the mistakes Simonal made in life, his music sounds as smooth as a cool drink on a warm Brazilian beach. Though some repetitive talking head segments could stand a bit of a trim, Manoel, Langer, and Leal tell a compelling story, set to some groovy tunes. Tough screens again during Cine Fest Petrobras this Friday (8/7) at the Tribeca Cinemas.