Doua lozuri

"Comedy" is not a genre American arthouse audiences traditionally associate with Romanian cinema. But this out of left field sleeper is very much a comedy--and a perfectly scaled, beautifully executed and acted one. I was reminded of the early films of Jim Jarmusch (particularly "Stranger Than Paradise" and "Down by Law").

There was also a soupçon of Milos Forman's Czech New Wave movies like "The Fireman's Ball." I went into this expecting, well, not much of anything (I'd never heard of the director before, and knew that it had a 2016 copyright date which didn't inspire much confidence), and was pleasantly surprised to say the least.

Somebody should buy the remake rights. I could definitely picture an American version set in, say, Atlanta with three African-American leads as the lugheads who lose a winning lottery ticket.

I can say that it's the best Romanian comedy which I saw. This movie is a real picture of living in Romania: Dacia cars, old ugly taverns and people who try to earn some money. I laughed 90% of movie. The story is not so original, because every country or culture has also this part of vision, but at least, this movie tries to give that special spirit of East. The way how they speak, cops and intertwined situations are worth to be watched. I heard how this movie was made, it's with small budget, and there aren't a lot of interesting cadres. It was filmed simply, but interesting part are locations and landscapes, roads and everything which shows a lot about Romania.

If you're not Romanian and have seen any film from there at all, it's most likely a festival prize winner by a neo-realist director like Mungiu or Netzer. If you meet a Romanian and ask them what they thought about those, you will quite likely have heard that these films are not really that great, because they do not represent how people live.

There is a scene just like that in this short and mildly black comedy, in which Dragos Bucur explains this to a hitch hiker, giving the plot of "Stuff and Dough" as an example, and how boring it was. The very Romanian irony is that Dragos Bucur was the star of "Stuff and Dough", it was his breakout film, so it's just plain hilarious to hear him trash-talk about it.

There are lots of similar jokes in this little gem produced at a budget of just about €5000. If you're Romanian, you'll constantly snicker because you'll invariably know characters who act like those in the movie. If you're a Westerner, you get a chance to see what we are really like, even if you won't get much of the humor.

This is the perfect film to watch for Eastern - Western couples if you've always found yourself unable to explain just what the difference between us is. It's light, it's fun and unlike most films these days not too long.

And although it says so in the content description, this is not based on some British comedy, but (loosely) on a 19th century play.

I personally believe that this is the best Romanian comedy ever made! It is true that I have seen good movies with a scent of comedy (Sieranevada is a very good example, Moartea Dlui. Lazarescu), probably because every Romanian movie that is not a drama in its essence has a scent of (local wise) comedy. Nevertheless, I feel that this is a new broken ground for Romanian movies in terms of comedy, it is like nothing I have seen before! And if not the best one of the very best comedies I have seen until now. Of course the story has its merit, but , I think, it's such a good movie because it's a genius one, from the way in which it's build and directed, to the building of the characters, to the chosen actors (that fit incredibly well in their characters), all in all, pure genius! I have laughed so hard that my face hurt after the movie, I laughed with all my heart and from the very deep of me! I loved the movie completely, I highly recommend it! And congratulations to the Romanian movies making industry, this year has been incredible good (with all its Ilegitim, Bacalaureat, Sieranevada, Caini, 6,9 pe scara Richter that I have seen at TIFF - looking forward to its premiere and last but not least even the short movies have been very good (Ninel & After 7 months ruled)! Congrats to our incredible new wavers!

I really had a lot of fun watching it in the cinema, mostly because it is a rare occasion to find good quality humor in Romanian movies lately (and in American movies either). It takes a story from Caragiale but it brings it in the modernity, reflecting a part of the society, with hopes, aspirations, problems and hilarious ways of solving these problems. Maybe not the best movie for foreigners who will probably miss most of the jokes and the humorous situations, but a good movie to watch on a Saturday evening with friends. Actors are funny, the story is relaxed, the director brought a bit of a nostalgic vibe, - thank God, not too much nostalgia after the communist times. I appreciate the good vibe and the warm tone of the story from Doua lozuri, compared to the offensive, vulgar, even raw movies that seem to haunt the modern Romanian cinema.