This film is a partially successful attempt to describe the juvenile bewilderment and the desperation of the adults in a country in transition to the economy of free market and the West. Its greatest asset is the dryness of the style, which in the second part of the film turns into its major flaw: repetitiveness of a monotonous mood; as someone has noticed before there isn't any shot too much, but maybe there is some less than necessary: in the long run the effort of being essential leaves the suspicion that the unusually short running time, only 68', is due to a certain lack of invention and what previously was slick then becomes flat and dull. In any case the script is sincere and brave enough to show that Slovenia is not such a "posh" country as someone could believe, not being immune from nationalism and ethnic chauvinism that often give vent to the economic and social troubles. A warning for the viewers: this is one of those films indulging in their own gloom so if you have suicidal tendencies just avoid seeing it. It could be the last thing you do! The director Jan Cvitkovic has received the prize for the best debut film at the Venice film Festival; during the closing ceremony he went on the stage to receive the prize wearing T-shirt with the symbol of communism on. Finally I would say that "Kruh in mleko" is a flawed but interesting film of a director whose next releases are gonna deserve our attention.
Review of Bread and Milk
