Few things bum me out as much as TIFF disappointment…especially when something seems so promising.

HELENO is a bio-pic of Brazilian football legend Heleno de Freitas (Psst…”soccer” for my American friends). Heleno was a complicated man, who while brilliant on the pitch to the point that he’d sometimes carry his team to victory all by himself, was something of a mess off the field. Heleno had everything a person could want: talent, money, looks, women…but he also had anger issues that often yanked him back just as he was about to take the next big leap.

The part of Heleno is played by Rodrigo Santoro, who you’ll either remember as Xerxes in 300 or as the oft-loathed Paolo from LOST. His acting in HELENO is rather remarkable, since it involves him playing a shell of himself for much of the film when we see Heleno in a sanatorium. In those scenes, he’s a trembling, frail, damaged man…nothing like the god we’ve watched parlay his prowess on the field into owning any room he walks into.

HELENO is a mighty effort, but ultimately I wonder if it will manage to land with audiences once it gets theatrical play. In crafting the character, Santoro seems to be mixing equal parts Don Draper and Christiano Ronaldo. He has the confidence and the swagger to get anything he wants – which he rhymes off as being “Goals, slim waists, and Cadillacs”. He also can’t ever seem to suppress his anger for long, lashing out in ways that express esteem issues and a lack of grace.

Like his character’s skills on the pitch, Santoro’s acting chops actually do much to carry this film since many of its flaws are in its construction. It’s a bio-pic that is interested in the man – not the athlete – and this is always a welcome course. However, the overall pace of the film seems to lag, which left my audience feeling restless as the film entered its final act. This is a real pity since the film includes some glorious moments, such as Heleno’s first arrival on the pitch against a backdrop of pure white. There’s also one truly wonderful cuts after Heleno winds up to kick a potentially game-winning penalty shot.

It’s sad to say it, but HELENO just can’t seem to get everything going in the same direction long enough to ever build any real momentum. It’s a mighty effort, and displays a lot of promise, but needs to spend a bit more time working out the kinks in practice before it will really be ready to take its place in the starting line-up. Here’s hoping it can, and that all involved can one day use what they’ve learned to create something that truly lands.