Saimir (2004) User Reviews

Bleak but ultimately uplifting

[rebell50 · 8/10 · 21 April 2005]

On the face of it a bleak film due to the location, time of year and ways in which it was shot. However the film is narrated through the eyes of a teenager and although slow paced at times still manages to draw in the viewer through the characters sensitive acting and our awareness of the issues raised. The main theme is the relationship between Saimir and his father It depicts the father doing his best in providing a secure start for their new life as immigrants albeit by questionable means. Saimir initially the dutiful son but as his awareness grows of the business he's an accomplice in and coming of age clashes occur he ultimately leaves us with a feeling of the immigrant as a knight. The father and son relationship always simmers beneath the surface when not actually erupting into a clash. The acting by both key roles is strong and the other cast also. Their is some excellent soundtrack pieces, a particularly captivating scene is of the immigrants burglary on a rich house when they each satisfy their inner needs and are innocent to what is of instinctive value.

It's an hard life

[alemusco · 9/10 · 7 July 2005]

Very good looking movie. The meaning of this movie is inside our lives:it's in the beautiful smile of Saimir, in the work of his father. It's in the Italian girl he met and he loose. It's in his crying eyes. Munzi is an artist, a great artist: this is the proof. Saimir is great, his father probably has the most difficult role, but he plays well. It's a movie that we should show in the school,once a year. We have to learn from Saimir,from his life.In Italy this movie had an important meaning, because there are some problems about people from Albania, but these are two hours where we can consider to solve them.In any case we are waiting for the next movie of Munzi, I wish with another interesting story.