Nick “does” 2025 – Portugal

PORTUGAL – Deslocado – Napa

If James Stewart played the role of Napa in It’s a Wonderful Life, the second half of the film would be exactly the same as the first.

I probably need to expand on that, but not by much. It’s ultra-lightweight 60s balladeering that gives almost nothing at all to grasp hold of. It has saudade in it, because it’s Portugal so obviously of course it does. It’s not horrible, it’s not offensive, it’s not catchy, it’s just bringing to the mountains of Switzerland a breath of crisp, fresh ocean absolutely nothing. I’d say at least it’s what Portugal wanted to send, but looking at the Festival da Cancao results it’s not even that.

I don’t think I’m going to hear this in 30 years’ time and suddenly say “Oh, I GET it now”. It’s just the kind of innocuous niceness that doesn’t even draw you in and thus gets you nowhere. It’s not bad, it’s not good, it’s the nearest we’ve been in recent years to someone sending three minutes of empty stage.

If James Stewart played the role of Napa in It’s A Wonderful Life, the second half of the film would be exactly the same as the first.

Nick’s score: 2