4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 184 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 151 out of 184
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 184
  3. Negative: 20 out of 184

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  1. ryancarroll88
    Aug 27, 2010
    10
    The neorealism and morbidity of of the subject might shy away some viewers, but everything about this movie is handled with such delicate care - the acting, the cinematography, the absence of a film score - that it really does suck you into it's existence, forcing you to feel the hardships of living in a state of oppression. Moral of the Story: don't live in a place where abortions are illegal.
  2. MorriBey
    Feb 27, 2012
    9
    Powerful. Not a happy story by any account but a story of mis-guided friendship where there is no happy ending for the 'good one'. Its a dark novel brilliantly transformed to the movie screen.
  3. shaunmed
    Jan 10, 2011
    4
    Not a bad movie but by no means worthy of all it's praise. A woman gets an illegal abortion, end. Yet another instance where a taboo subject matter is confused for a compelling story.
  4. MichaelDN
    Sep 28, 2012
    1
    Watch this movie for the perfect example of how to trick everybody into thinking your movie is good, without actually having to create an intelligent story. Just make it about a controversial issue, have a shocking proposal from a doctor to two women halfway through, and show a human fetus to freak people out. Then everyone is so blown away that they're convinced it's because of the merits of the film. I wouldn't really call this a pro abortion movie. In fact, the fetus scene is like the videos of slaughterhouses they make to convince people to become vegetarians. Regardless of the stance it takes, it doesn't really go about it in a thought provoking way. The one thing I did appreciate was the idea that the one girl was willing to accept the doctor's offer for her friend. It was an interesting statement about friendships, although it's possible that that just happened by accident, and that the writer wasn't really even thinking of that. I will not reveal my opinion on abortion, but I don't think it matters. A weak script is a weak script. The movie is all about shock value, and people mistake that for decent writing.… Expand
  5. jdicksteihn
    Apr 14, 2012
    10
    I can't remember a movie where I cared so much about what I was watching. Though it moves slowly and inconspicuously, it builds an incredible amount of momentum by the midpoint. I found myself thinking "please please let things work out for these two girls", as if they were good friends of mine. And I'm usually overly critical and not easily drawn in. It helps that Mungui manages to avoid a single false note in the entirety of the film with his direction. Anamaria Marinca plays her very difficult role without a trace of self-pity. This is a truly amazing movie that surprised me.… Expand
  6. GraziB.
    Feb 3, 2008
    10
    Devastating movie. Besides the abortion plot. It's a movie about female friendship. Anamaria Marinca is amazing, Bravo!
  7. BillB.
    Aug 20, 2008
    2
    You keep expecting something to happen, but nothing Happens in this movie. The doctor makes an unusual request half way through the movie, and that is all.
  8. roses
    Oct 31, 2009
    10
    I run a boutique cinema. This movie drew my smallest crowed of 2009. It was the only one I cannot remove from my mind, and I think the fact that it hasnt won an award reveals the hypocrisy of the Oscars. Harrowing and mundane in the same breath. If you can get out of this film without white knuckles, you are made of strong stuff.
  9. JessS.
    Sep 2, 2009
    9
    A powerful and great foreign drama, the cinematography in this picture is simply stunning, the acting faultless lead by the mesmarising Anamaria Marinca . When i know I've seen a great film is when i could watch it with no sound or subtitles and it still has an effect on my emotions and i can safely say i could with this film, the location of this film was filmed perfectly to portray what life was like in 1987 romania, those who don't find the simplicity in this film capturing must have no heart. The only reason i didn't score it a 10 was because i didn't like the ending as much as the other parts of the film. I hope foreign cinema has some more delights like this up there sleeves.… Expand
  10. ValentinM
    Jan 20, 2008
    10
    One of the "must see movie" of all times.
  11. DavidB.
    Feb 12, 2008
    6
    It was good, but I felt unsatisfied when it ended. I think it lacked a clear theme or message so am quite surprised to see it receiving a higher accolade than other superb foreign language films, such as The Lives of Others.
  12. ZoltanZ
    Feb 15, 2008
    7
    Strong in many respects, realism, consistent tone, acting, suspense, tension etc... However, the ending represented a HUGE misstep. [***SPOILER***] Within an hour after such a late-term abortion that woman would not be sitting down at a restaurant ordering dinner. she'd be lucky if she hadn't bled to death. completely unrealistic moment to an otherwise very realistic film.
  13. dyld
    Feb 3, 2008
    9
    This film is bleak--and that will put off many people. But don't let it put you off. This film is a strong experience--relentless tension. Admits that people make mistakes under pressure, which is difficult to watch. Above all, however, the film rings true. And on the rare occasions this happens in cinema you have to confront the ideas of the film.
  14. usmanhaider
    Feb 9, 2008
    10
    this is not a movie.its an experience.how can a movie be so real so grasping.........i do not envy as such but feels competitive with a person named mungiu.whole abservation of life is so deep and true.it comes from inner consciousness.i firmly can claim this to be the most brilliantly acted and directed movie i have seen and i can see in future.the minute details are hard to understand by everyone.its unforgettable and matchless.no exxagaration but the truth.i cant see anyone could have done a performance like anmaria.its not "acting".its performance.this film is a must see for those who see… Expand
  15. EmanuelA.
    Mar 29, 2008
    10
    Only people that lived during that Romanian/Ceausescu era can understand this movie!Very well done and love the overall story.A+
  16. FelixK.
    Mar 3, 2008
    6
    Well-made, but it's correct that the Academy didn't give it a "foreign language movie" nominee !!!
  17. MichaelD.
    Mar 7, 2008
    0
    A pointless waste of time unless you find watching a back alley abortion in Communist Romania to uplifting. I'm not anti-abortion, I just found the film to be a monumental waste of time.
  18. Tomegun
    Apr 2, 2008
    9
    A little slow at first for my taste....but it drags you in and gets pretty intense!
  19. AndyM.
    Jun 30, 2008
    9
    I was quite excited about seeing this movie, what with the fantastic reviews. And... I can't say I was disappointed, really. It had superb acting, and on the whole it was very well done. It was gripping, to the point that my friend and I were enthralled by every detail the film threw at us as we watched. The sad part is that, after all the thrills and the suspense and the drama, it didn't deliver. We wanted it to go in a Hollywood direction, we wanted that I.D. at the desk to mean something, for that little mention of a phone number to lead somewhere, but it didn't. It was comical, really, how much... MORE wanted. In any other film, this would have been devastating, but the incredible single takes and the emotion that the viewer couldn't help but feel along with the actors made it all too good otherwise. It's a worthwhile watch, just don't go into it expecting anything near your conventional film.… Expand
  20. MichaelB
    Oct 9, 2009
    10
    This is frighteningly realistic rendition of life in the Eastern Bloc under communism. The awfulness of everything down to the clothes and the offensive drunk waiters make compelling viewing. Easily the best film I saw last year, and I saw Cargo 200!!!
  21. Iainf
    Jan 9, 2009
    9
    I don't really know what to say about this film really. Right off the bat, you're probably wondering whether you should watch it, and yes, yes you most certainly should. The film itself is amazing, I just don't really understand why to be honest. Nothing really happens in it! But the acting, the emotions it makes you feel and several all factors help pull it through. It doesn't deserve the near perfect reviews in my opinion, but it still the best film I've saw in a while.… Expand
  22. johns
    Jan 1, 2010
    5
    How did this movie get such high reviews? I love foreign, art house, film noir but I just found this incredibly boring, slow and pretty slim on plot and dialogue. I just could not figure how many of the scenes even added to the overall theme, experience or anything. But glad the people who loved it loved it.
  23. AaronS.
    Jan 12, 2008
    10
    This was easily one of the best films I saw in 2007. Clearly there is something stirring in Romanian cinema as '4/3/2' is another outstanding work for that country's burgeoning film scene.
  24. GabiU
    Jan 10, 2008
    10
    brilliantly acted! you can feel the tension and the lack of edited scenes brings you into the drama. the camera doesn't even exists, you don't feel it like a movie but like a fact, a scene happening in front of you. i'm not surprised it's a rewarded film. not recommended to youngs (they can't fully understand the scale of the event or sense the minor details).
  25. MI
    Jan 18, 2008
    6
    In the end, this is an average movie, where not much (i.e. enough) happens. The story is mostly carried forward with constant and inane dialogue. A large portion of the conversations seem improvised. In the end this is a prototype of a movie that the critics love, but the average movie goer will remain ambivalent and indefferent over. Nevertheless, slow pacing and historically appropriate milieu do set a realistic and touching mood.… Expand
  26. DmitryP.
    Jan 23, 2008
    10
    If Andrei Tarkovsky made a Dogma 95 movie, it might look and sound and feel like this. Cinematically, this is a masterpiece of artistic discipline, the perfect marriage of form and content, the freshest thing in years, a brand-new way to get your truth twenty-four times a second, blah, blah, blah. . . .Dramatically, it does the last thing you expect from an issue movie: give you an engaging, realistic central character, so you forget about political abstractions and start worrying about what will happen to her and what she's going to do. This is a time capsule movie, a Voyager spacecraft movie, a great and perfect film that may all on its own redeem traditional narrative cinema for the next few years.… Expand
  27. PerspicaciousCritic
    Jan 25, 2008
    7
    [***SPOILERS***] I appreciate "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" for its excellent craftsmanship: the artfully composed shots are worthy of a gallery exhibit; the stubborn refusal to cut away from certain scenes is brave and inspirational; and the acting (or non-acting, it was so realistic) is sublime. Overall, I agree with the critics that "4 Months" is an uncompromising work of art. But the problem I have with "4 Months" are in the form of red herrings, and plenty of them. For example, when the brooding back-alley abortionist, Mr. Bebe, pleads with his mother to go back into her apartment, the tension mounts to where you think he's going to physically toss her inside. During this moment, in Mr. Bebe… Expand
  28. Szalazar
    Jan 26, 2008
    5
    this movie is a drag, a slow, depressing movie that is surprisingly average for the reviews it has been getting. The only reason its been rated so high is because it deals with abortion and thats a politically hot topic right now. I am a fan of these kind of subtitled foreign art movies, but 4 Months is not that amazing of a movie. Well made, but thats about it.
  29. CoraN.
    Jan 27, 2008
    10
    Terrifyingly grey, as everyday life in communism, and exceptionally beautiful, as Otilia's friendship and unselfishness.
  30. philmoooten
    Feb 11, 2008
    9
    this is an involving and very moving film. highly recommended. to shaun b - you sound so pompus. firstly one film doesn't 'prove' anything, especially when your point of view is supposedly the evidence, and the film doesn't even reply to your silly sweeping statement about the french - the film is romanian.
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
97 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 37 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 37
  3. Negative: 0 out of 37
  1. New York Post
    Reviewed by: V.A. Musetto
    88
    It is filmmaking as it should be but usually isn't.
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  2. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Jack Mathews
    100
    This year’s foreign language Oscar scandal – there is always at least one – is the snub of director Cristian Mungiu’s disturbing, masterful realist drama following two college roommates as they carry out plans for one’s black market abortion in Communist Romania.
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  3. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Ken Fox
    100
    The film is bold stroke that hopes to push Romanian society forward by staring into the dismal failures of its recent past.
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