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| Movie Review: 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days Alternate Title: Through a Glass Darkly
Story: This is not your cutesy,
everything will work itself out Hollywood film about a young
woman's unwanted pregnancy and subsequent abortion. This is a dead serious
look back on the repressive days of Communist Romania under dictator,
Nicolae Ceausescu. Director and writer Cristian
Mungiu deftly delivers a hard realistic look at what the totalitarian
state does to its least powerful. In this case, young Otilia helps her
friend and roommate Gabita get a late-term abortion. At the time any
abortion was illegal and could garner five to ten years in prison. The film takes place over a 12 hour period in
the lives of these desperate young women. The heart and soul of this
film lies in its gritty presentation. Mungiu demonstrates the States'
hold on its citizens with a claustrophobic look at everything they do.
There is a sense of imminent danger - past, present and future throughout.
There is a dinner scene that was so suffocating I wanted to run out
and scream. This film is not for the weak kneed or faint of heart. The film has won accolades for its acting and
direction around the world including the Palme d'Or at Cannes. Hollywood,
in its lack of world view vision, has chosen not to recognize this film
in its Foreign Film category this year. Predilection: None
Critters: Two kittens and some street doggies.
Food: The catastrophic dinner scene included soup
and stuff but I was not paying attention to the meal. The final scene
in the hotel's dining room includes brains on the plate.
Soundtrack: There is no music until the final credits.
Opening Titles: White type over a black background.
Visual Art: Cinematographer Oleg Mutu
captures what I imagine the terror would have been under this closed
fisted regime.
Theater Audience: A handful of serious film goers.
Weather: It was cold and gray that day in Communist
Romania
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: The abortion scene is very squirmy.
Drift Factor: I did not drift at all.
Predictability Level: I was not sure what was going
to happen to these young women. The air was foreboding.
Tissue Usage: 0
Big Screen or Rental: This could be a rental.
Length: Under two hours
LOBO HOWLS: 8 |