Maria (2003) User Reviews

sad yet funny

[diamant993 · 8/10 · 29 September 2004]

first off i would like to say that i never liked romanian movies..but this one made me realize that i could be missing a lot. I was shocked so to say. It is basically a romanian tale which appeared on the screen with the help of a romanian vision.

The story is sad but yet funny by it's tragedy. One woman corrupted by society to sell herself so she can take care of her children.

I'm glad that romanian movies appear on IMDb, and i hope as many of you can watch them. Maria really makes you think about the reality around us.

A true story in more ways than one

[domnulx · 8/10 · 14 August 2008]

The story of Maria, the impoverished wife of a factory worker with seven kids, is based on a true story. However, after watching the film, I felt that I had seen the story of millions of women throughout the post-communist world and elsewhere wherever urban poverty exists. The details are crystal clear, the obstacles scorchingly real, but the overarching struggle, to put food on the table for her seven children, is the story that involves the viewer.

Besides that, we see the husband and his best friend, a sort of Sancho Panza type, as they stumble their way through life, irresponsibly leaving their families to drink, gamble and drift away. The husband is an enigma, being reduced to yet another obstacle in Maria's life. I think the film would have much more depth if we could understand the husband a bit better. He represents the other side of urban, post-industrial society, the loss of a role for the unemployed father.

In all, it is a beautifully written story, with some excellent acting from all the main cast. A truly worthwhile film to see.

Sad, but true...

[zernstage · 10/10 · 10 March 2004]

Maria is the best rumanian movie I've ever seen, and it's not that I haven't seen a lot. Maria is a film about a young woman, who is having serious problems with her husband. Not to mention her 7 kids... She has to fight hard for every piece of bread, so that her family don't die in misery.

It's true, the movie isn't easy to watch. I think I've seen a lot of stuff like this, but the character of Maria is getting me so tight for the throat, that I can't stop the tears. Like I said - sad but true, because the movie is based on a true story. I won't tell you more details about the plot, you'll have to see it for yourself, it's worth, I guarantee.

Don't expect a boring movie. I still remember some scenes, some close-ups, some persons (they are ALL so typical for our time, for Rumania and it's problems of today, you won't never forget the fat dutch woman, talking some strange bad version of english), Maria.

But first of all, Maria is a beautiful picture. For me it's very similar to Tornatore's "MALENA". If you think (like me) MALENA is the most beautiful movie, MARIA is a must see for you.

Thank God, there's still more good directors with their warm, human, beauty pieces... Believe me, MARIA is one of those pieces...

The "advantages" of globalization.

[acorral-1 · 9/10 · 18 April 2005]

People say that reality overpasses fiction in all aspects. This movie, based in a true history, has the ability to reflect poverty and human degradation from a social and political perspective. Under what circumstances a woman becomes a prostitute? This history is one crude answer. Eastern Europe is suffering the effects of globalization and common population is paying a very high cost.

Maria, the name of the main character, is a common woman, married with a worker who used to be a working class hero. Because the acquisition from an American company, her husband lost his job and then misery starts. Social problems like alcoholism, gambling, family violence and prostitution are reflected with severity and even with humor. Director (Netzer) solved the plot very skillfully: present the situation as a reflect of an economical situation, not a moral or ethics issues. All problems are money related and its absence causes the overturning situations.

In a very beautiful sequence, María is in her house with her seven children. All of them are sleeping and she starts looking at the mirror. The oldest girl is looking at her. María opens her blouse and folds her skirt. She starts to look at her self as a prostitute, she decided in that exactly point to become one. Then, in another later sequence the oldest girl do exactly the same in front the mirror. Always is a crossing point and Netzer built the moment in a poetic way. Other excellent sequences occur when María is in front of the TV. The first time to see the results of a riot at the government palace (with a crude scene of a man lighting fire to him self), the second time watching her self when two prostitutes passed by and finally when her history is told to Rumania by the TV, when she realizes her present and probably her future. I liked the movie a lot and strongly recommend the audience to see it. Not everything in the plot is crude scenes and tears. Netzer includes a perfect character (Ion) to make us laugh and created perfect situations to combine drama with comedy.

No matter if the history took place in Rumania, could be applicable everywhere and we could find Marías in every city where poverty is real and overpasses the fiction by far. This is the kind of histories than make us think and consider other people's situations, the kind of movies that could shake our consciences and aware us about the "advantages" of the globalization. A must see movie.

Life without make-up

[AlexNita15 · 9/10 · 24 January 2005]

Irony, sadness, misery, shattered dreams... "Maria" has it all. It is not a movie about succeeding in life, it is a movie about surviving. The movie depicts the story of a young woman trying to get through the harsh world of the suburbs. Mother of seven children, Maria tries her utmost to ensure a decent life for her family. Without any support from her husband, and after every one has tried to take advantage of her, she faces the terrible truth: her only chance is to sell her body. Watching the movie, I kept asking myself: "What will happen to save Maria? Which is the element that is supposed to save the day?" Then I realized that there is no answer to my question.

Mama ! An universal word !

[simonasidorin · 10/10 · 25 September 2007]

Yes this movie can be compared to many : SOPHIE'S CHOICE , MALENA , MAMA ROMA.......etc.The subject is universal and atemporal : How far will go a mother to save his child (her children) , to provide for him(them) ? A mother's love can be measured in those difficult moments of life . I liked particularly one moment in the movie when Ion ask that his children to eat first and then later he will have the dinner , this man animalized , despicable for some he puts the children first , that shows there is some humanity left in him.Also Ion is the result of a decadent society , where supposedly we are free , we are allowed to protest , even we can torch ourselves . Who cares ? Ion is losing his job , then the rest is just domino principle , snowball or whatever you wanna call it ,a series of violence , alcohol , gambling.But Maria is got a strong character , like Atlas with a huge globe on his back she is taking the responsibilities of feeding a large family , despite misery.