Cultural familiarity is the biggest problem with the new Brazilian film "The Year My Parents Went on Vacation." The culture and atmosphere of Brazil are lovingly represented in the film, but with little historical background, which makes it at once fascinating and almost inaccessible to anyone not familiar with the country.

"My Parents" is set in Brazil in 1970, when the country's government was in the middle of a violent transition from military dictatorship to democracy. The story centers on a young soccer-obsessed boy named Mauro (newcomer Michel Joelsas) whose parents are leftist militants forced to go into hiding. They fear for the safety of their son, so they place him on the doorstep of his grandfather's apartment building and promise they'll be home in time for the World Cup. His dad also makes a point of telling him: "Remember, if anyone asks, we're on vacation."

By an awful stroke of bad luck, Mauro's grandfather has recently died of a heart attack. His Hasidic neighbor Shlomo (Germano Haiut) takes pity on the kid and brings him into his house, leading to several scenes of awkward clashes between Shlomo's quiet, traditional ways and Mauro's frustrated, hyperactive childishness. As the weeks drag on, Mauro becomes increasingly unhappy with his predicaments and desperately counts down the days until the World Cup when he can see his parents again.

Mauro's new home provides the backdrop for plenty of genuinely colorful, interesting characters. The most entertaining is Hannah (excellent first-timer Daniele Piepszyk), a tomboyish girl whose perky exuberance encourages Mauro break out of the cocoon of his apartment. The tentative romance between the two young actors is touching and almost embarrassingly cute. Mauro and Shlomo also develop a grudging respect for each other. They share some of the movie's more memorable scenes, including one where Shlomo inadvertently discovers that the half-Jewish Mauro has never had a bris.

It's easy to predict where the film is going. This is a somewhat standard abandoned-child drama that's played out a bit too long. The heart of the story is also oddly skewed, focusing too much on the speculated fate of Mauro's parents instead of on the personal growth of Mauro himself. And even with a buildup that drags on as long as this one does, "My Parents" still ends at an unsatisfying point in the story. The final line of narration implies an unnaturally open-ended conclusion that doesn't do the characters justice.

Although it was submitted as Brazil's entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category at this year's Oscars, "My Parents" wasn't nominated. It's certainly a good enough movie on its own merits, but the cuteness factor is unable to carry any serious gravitas. In addition, director Cao Hamburger assumes the viewer already has a substantial knowledge of Brazilian history and politics, not to mention a fervent love for Pele, Carlos Alberto and other "football" all-stars. Given the talent of the actors and the charm of the script, it's too bad that so much of the film fails to translate.

"The Year My Parents Went on Vacation"

Rating: 2 and a half out of 5 stars

City Lights Pictures

At the Michigan Theater