I consider this one of the best Romanian movies ever made. Black humor at its best. It captures an image of a society in transition, where traditional roles and values have been eroded. The boundaries between teacher, student and criminal have become blurred. Each character is trying to find his identity in a world mired in poverty, corruption and decay.
I find the stereotypes spot-on, the acting excellent, the characters very believable and the environments constructed in great detail (as an example Ovidiu's father sits on a chair surrounded by huge piles of old newspapers, making it look as if he's on a throne of sorts). The plot is intriguing and original and the acting very convincing.
The only drawback is that much of the charm comes from elements which are hardly perceivable to foreign viewers. (either language or cultural) You have to have lived in Romania through the 90's / early 2000's to fully appreciate it. With this in mind I highly recommend it!
I find the stereotypes spot-on, the acting excellent, the characters very believable and the environments constructed in great detail (as an example Ovidiu's father sits on a chair surrounded by huge piles of old newspapers, making it look as if he's on a throne of sorts). The plot is intriguing and original and the acting very convincing.
The only drawback is that much of the charm comes from elements which are hardly perceivable to foreign viewers. (either language or cultural) You have to have lived in Romania through the 90's / early 2000's to fully appreciate it. With this in mind I highly recommend it!