The previous reviewer has simply bought into the US propaganda against the DPRK. Obviously it's not a rich or particularly successful country, but the family is living a completely normal life for Pyongyang. I have visited there several times and can vouch for it. This is a working class family in the capital - nothing more, nothing less. Note how they compensate for lack of water at times, by storing water in the bathtub and how the commentator explains the rationing of foods. There is no glossing over at all. The only point I thought rang a bit false was the school trip to Mount Paekdu, which "happened" to include the two heroines of the film even though they were not in the same year, and the younger was a very mediocre student according to her own teacher. That was probably arranged to organize some nice footage and a neutral topic.
Review of A State of Mind
