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- 2008
- Not Rated
- IFC Films
- 1 h 53 m
- 2008
- Not Rated
- IFC Films
- 1 h 53 m
Summary During the final days of communism in Romania, two college roommates Otilia and Gabita are busy preparing for a night away. But rather than planning for a holiday, they are making arrangements for Gabita's illegal abortion and unwittingly, both find themselves burrowing deep down a rabbit hole of unexpected revelations. [IFC Films]
Directed By: Cristian Mungiu
Written By: Cristian Mungiu
- 2008
- Not Rated
- IFC Films
- 1 h 53 m
- 2008
- Not Rated
- IFC Films
- 1 h 53 m
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
8.0
Where to Watch
Summary During the final days of communism in Romania, two college roommates Otilia and Gabita are busy preparing for a night away. But rather than planning for a holiday, they are making arrangements for Gabita's illegal abortion and unwittingly, both find themselves burrowing deep down a rabbit hole of unexpected revelations. [IFC Films]
Directed By: Cristian Mungiu
Written By: Cristian Mungiu
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 37 Critic Reviews
97
100% Positive
37 Reviews
37 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 37 Critic Reviews
97
100% Positive
37 Reviews
37 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Brilliant, suspenseful, absolutely riveting film.
Writer-director Cristian Mungiu confirms the Romanian cinema renaissance while creating a paradoxical marvel: a bleak tale of illegal abortion that powerfully affirms one's faith in people.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 243 User Ratings
8.0
83% Positive
202 Ratings
202 Ratings
12% Mixed
28 Ratings
28 Ratings
5% Negative
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 243 User Ratings
8.0
83% Positive
202 Ratings
202 Ratings
12% Mixed
28 Ratings
28 Ratings
5% Negative
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
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.
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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 **** 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.
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Elegantly crafted, brilliantly acted film.
Romanian writer-director Cristian Mungiu's brilliantly discomfiting second feature is one long premonition of disaster.
Anamaria Marinca delivers an utterly transfixing performance as Otilia, a young woman who helps a friend (Laura Vasiliu) obtain an illegal abortion in the waning days of Romania's communist Ceausescu regime.
Relentlessly dark but expertly rendered, it shares its cinematographer and quality of aggrieved compassion with another recent Romanian art house hit, "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu."
It makes "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu" and "12:08 East of Bucharest," the last glum Romanian movies about life under dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, seem merry.
If this was awarded the #1 Best Movie, I can write off the rest of that year. Perhaps there is a lot of politics behind that award and the high "critical acclaim" which distorts the rating. The movie is dark and dull. I'd rate it lower but I like films that have historical context, foreign cultures, and are in other languages.
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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.
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Production Company
Mobra Films,
Centrul National al Cinematografiei (CNC),
Mindshare Media,
BV McCann-Erickson,
Televiziunea Romana (TVR1),
Fundatiei Anonimul,
Saga Film,
Hubert Bals Fund
Release Date Jan 23, 2008
Duration 1 h 53 m
Rating Not Rated
Genres
Tagline How far would you go for a friend?
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Nomination
Gopo Awards, Romania
• 8 Wins & 16 Nominations
International Cinephile Society Awards
• 3 Wins & 5 Nominations
