Director Radu Muntean composes a rhythm through his use of long takes and shots - fuming them with such banality in dialogue and action that it feels painfully intrusive. As we are conflicted with the behaviors of the film's male character, it ultimately comes to show more and more how others in his life perceive him. Muntean ends the picture on a final moment of pure power.
This a paradox. An almost perfect movie that's uncomfortable to watch. The handful of well-chosen scenes, when given the long-take treatment become too tense and painfully intimate. For all that, the married couple's relationship feels too oblique to reveal the real undercurrent of the man's disatisfaction. Should we assume he's just bored? The ending is masterful.
People...talking. I was struggling to keep going halfway through the film, and then the whole weight of it settled. Despite the modest running time, it is a bit of a marathon to watch. But, by the end I was floored. Can't stop thinking about it. This takes realism to a whole other level, in that the characters are absolutely completely normal people, and instead of being boring, it makes it that much more powerful.
Another terrific film from the "Romanian New Wave." This one revolves around an adulterous husband and the events leading up to his split from his wife. Like many of these "New Wave" films, it takes it's time and allows character development to evolve through looks and motions. This creates a sense of exhaustion in the characters, particularly Paul (Mimi Branescu), who creates a complex, sympathetic, but flawed character.
