OK. i read through many postings on this forum and i would like to state some opinions and some facts about this movie.
1. Hand-held camera is bad. No, the hand-held camera adds to the realism of the movie. It is the cinematographer's way of putting the viewer in the middle of the movie. YOu can also see examples of this in "Blairwitch Project", "Kids", "Reize", "Wassup rockers". An extreme example of hand-held camera usage is found in Blairwitch Project, where whole audiences got sick because of the camera movement. They were drawn in the movie by the continuous movement of the camera (this is taken from live experience, we move and turn our bodies and our heads no matter what we do, at least in conscious state).
2. The name of mister Lazarescu. It's not "Lazarus", it's "Lazarescu". While many of you found a similitude to the biblical name of "Lazarus", allow another idea too. The title shows us even from the beginning that this character is going to die, and by the way everything goes in this movie, he is, there is no denying it. Unlike Lazarus, mister Lazarescu is not going to rise up again, it could be just an irony of the director. And the idea naming him Lazarescu could have another root, too. In Romania, names ending in "escu" are very common. I could name a lot but hear me out: Popescu, Lupescu, Piscupescu, Alexandrescu, Gheorghescu, Ionescu, Vladimirescu, Anghelescu.. a lot and a lot more names end in "escu" (not all though, we're not an "Escu" country). SO basically what the director is trying to tell us is that the we could be the main character, any of us could end up like that unless we have the right connections, papers, credibility.
3. the ending sucks. Bigtime.
No, it doesn't. And for those of you who watched the movie and *Still* don't know if he dies or not : T h e a n s w e r i s i n t h e m o v i e' s t i t l e, so how come you don't get it? Are you blessed with such romanticism that you want a happy ending even though the very title of the film (not to mention what goes on in the story) is TELLING you that Mr. Lazarescu .. dies? After seeing the realism that goes on in the movie, yet you may bring yourself to believe a fairytale ending?
The ending doesn't suck just because you couldn't bring yourself to remember the movie's title, and for the following reason: This whole movie was an "atmosphere", or "situation" movie. It contained and was *about* a simple, non-singular situation that goes on in Romania (and i bet other countries too). It was about the undignifying road to death of an old man, treated in an almost naturalistic way. Filth, bad jokes, hypocrisy and everything you can also find in reality.
So basically, it didn't even matter if he lived or died (and by now we should know he dies), because the message had already been carried out.
4. the sound was horrible, horrible i tell you.
I am writing this for all the "sound puritans" who think everything should be as in *for example* "lord of the rings" or "witches of Eastwick" (don't get me wrong, i love that first movie's sound and cinematography, and i like the second, but to a certain degree). Those were completely different styles, they were not realistic, they were not even trying to look as a glimpse of reality, which is exactly what "MDL" is. First you have to attune yourself with the manner of the film, and that happens in the first 3 minutes, statistically speaking. If after those first minutes you still don't get what type of movie you're watching, i suggest you run, you run outside the theatre or throw the DVD away because after you'll finish watching it, you'll be writing on forums stuff like "I gave it a 2" "what is so special about this movie?" "i hated it" and further trash like that.
5. It's about the sh#tty life of Romania, we live in a dumphole.
Guys, you don't like it, move, and i assure you, close to even betting some candy bars and bubblegum on it, that USA, Canada, England, France, you name your desired destination is not stupidity-free, it's not perfect, it has its own faults which we don't see, because those countries don't like to lick their wounds in public and show off their festering wounds to the world. Stupidity, bureaucracy and carelessness weren't invented by Romanians, rest assured, so don't be hypocritical to say Romania is shitty. It is growing and that's all you should care about. If not, move and nobody will even bother to want you back, you were among the "I don't care about this sh#tty country anyway" group which did nothing.
I find it a complete insult to see a viewer that stands high on his pedestal made by Vin diesel films and points down to this movie saying it's bad. It's just a different style, you don't have to like it, i don't like Vin diesel films, but i don't try to flame them; i would if i got payed for it, there's just so much silly stuff to point out.
And as a closing point, get off your high horses, enjoy a glimpse of our Romanian reality and don't you dare comparing it to the Hollywood present "Charlies' angels" style.
1. Hand-held camera is bad. No, the hand-held camera adds to the realism of the movie. It is the cinematographer's way of putting the viewer in the middle of the movie. YOu can also see examples of this in "Blairwitch Project", "Kids", "Reize", "Wassup rockers". An extreme example of hand-held camera usage is found in Blairwitch Project, where whole audiences got sick because of the camera movement. They were drawn in the movie by the continuous movement of the camera (this is taken from live experience, we move and turn our bodies and our heads no matter what we do, at least in conscious state).
2. The name of mister Lazarescu. It's not "Lazarus", it's "Lazarescu". While many of you found a similitude to the biblical name of "Lazarus", allow another idea too. The title shows us even from the beginning that this character is going to die, and by the way everything goes in this movie, he is, there is no denying it. Unlike Lazarus, mister Lazarescu is not going to rise up again, it could be just an irony of the director. And the idea naming him Lazarescu could have another root, too. In Romania, names ending in "escu" are very common. I could name a lot but hear me out: Popescu, Lupescu, Piscupescu, Alexandrescu, Gheorghescu, Ionescu, Vladimirescu, Anghelescu.. a lot and a lot more names end in "escu" (not all though, we're not an "Escu" country). SO basically what the director is trying to tell us is that the we could be the main character, any of us could end up like that unless we have the right connections, papers, credibility.
3. the ending sucks. Bigtime.
No, it doesn't. And for those of you who watched the movie and *Still* don't know if he dies or not : T h e a n s w e r i s i n t h e m o v i e' s t i t l e, so how come you don't get it? Are you blessed with such romanticism that you want a happy ending even though the very title of the film (not to mention what goes on in the story) is TELLING you that Mr. Lazarescu .. dies? After seeing the realism that goes on in the movie, yet you may bring yourself to believe a fairytale ending?
The ending doesn't suck just because you couldn't bring yourself to remember the movie's title, and for the following reason: This whole movie was an "atmosphere", or "situation" movie. It contained and was *about* a simple, non-singular situation that goes on in Romania (and i bet other countries too). It was about the undignifying road to death of an old man, treated in an almost naturalistic way. Filth, bad jokes, hypocrisy and everything you can also find in reality.
So basically, it didn't even matter if he lived or died (and by now we should know he dies), because the message had already been carried out.
4. the sound was horrible, horrible i tell you.
I am writing this for all the "sound puritans" who think everything should be as in *for example* "lord of the rings" or "witches of Eastwick" (don't get me wrong, i love that first movie's sound and cinematography, and i like the second, but to a certain degree). Those were completely different styles, they were not realistic, they were not even trying to look as a glimpse of reality, which is exactly what "MDL" is. First you have to attune yourself with the manner of the film, and that happens in the first 3 minutes, statistically speaking. If after those first minutes you still don't get what type of movie you're watching, i suggest you run, you run outside the theatre or throw the DVD away because after you'll finish watching it, you'll be writing on forums stuff like "I gave it a 2" "what is so special about this movie?" "i hated it" and further trash like that.
5. It's about the sh#tty life of Romania, we live in a dumphole.
Guys, you don't like it, move, and i assure you, close to even betting some candy bars and bubblegum on it, that USA, Canada, England, France, you name your desired destination is not stupidity-free, it's not perfect, it has its own faults which we don't see, because those countries don't like to lick their wounds in public and show off their festering wounds to the world. Stupidity, bureaucracy and carelessness weren't invented by Romanians, rest assured, so don't be hypocritical to say Romania is shitty. It is growing and that's all you should care about. If not, move and nobody will even bother to want you back, you were among the "I don't care about this sh#tty country anyway" group which did nothing.
I find it a complete insult to see a viewer that stands high on his pedestal made by Vin diesel films and points down to this movie saying it's bad. It's just a different style, you don't have to like it, i don't like Vin diesel films, but i don't try to flame them; i would if i got payed for it, there's just so much silly stuff to point out.
And as a closing point, get off your high horses, enjoy a glimpse of our Romanian reality and don't you dare comparing it to the Hollywood present "Charlies' angels" style.