Review of Murina

Finally went to see Murina and I can say the festival hype is not an overreaction. A superbly crafted film indeed - certainly one of the best contemporary entries from Croatia. From the very beginning, the maritime setting is developed as one of the main characters (not unlike the titular fish later on) and such choices are all justified by how consistently they're built on throughout the runtime.

Julija is both well-written and acted completely believably as a strong girl in her late teens (in itself a rare feat today), whose lifelong mistreatment has finally reached a breaking point - at a time when the secluded family is joined by a rare visitor. The hopes she lays in him are ultimately let down, but by that point we've already seen her start the hard journey to freedom fully on her own.

The ending that follows doesn't disappoint either. As Javier's departure makes it clear both to our heroine and us viewers that any fantasies of a simple escape won't materialize, she must face the central conflict head-on and by herself. We all know what she must do... but what ultimately happens instead is just as effective at finally setting her free, while also letting her keep a clear conscience.

Strongly recommended.