Balkanski spijun

As one of the most significant films in the Serbian and Yugoslavian cinematography ever, "Balkanski spijun" is most often regarded as a comedy, which it is only to a certain extent.

The film works on many different levels and it's virtually impossible to judge it after seeing it only once. Serving primarily as a social commentary and a metaphor for a national paranoia towards anything foreign, the film uses its main character Ilija Cvorovic as a vehicle to carry out both humorous and serious situations towards a bitter and somewhat prophetic ending. The great Bata Stojkovic (in one of his best roles here) has masterfully crafted a portrait of a man whose delusions progressively lead him from a state of comical confusion to a tragic crescendo of violence laden with conspiracy theories.

"Balkanski spijun" is a comedy that will make you think before you laugh and a tragedy that will make you laugh before you think.

This is in deed not only one of Dusan's masterpieces, but one of the greatest actings I have ever seen. It is based on a play of the same director. As slightly involved in the movie world, I can hardly remember any actor that could perform what Bata Stojkovic did in this film. Perfect drama composition, casting and acting. However, you gotta possess more than narrowed global news awareness film attitude to enjoy humor of a director who is laughing at himself in the movie that depicts self-criticizing of whole nation through the ideologically fallen character of an actor that no Hollywood performer can follow in even much shorter monologue

This Dusan Kovacevic' drama talks about political paranoia of Ilija Cvorovic, ex-Stallinist, the man who spent two years in prison because of his activity. He follows and haunts a tenant in his house - who returned from France. Ilija sees in him agent of imperialist powers, enemy of the state and a foreign spy. The movie is true piece-of-art of Yugoslav cinematography of the 80's. Also talks about relations of hard-line communists and capitalists in liberal-socialist Yugoslavia.

A lot of lame movies these days are going to international film festivals,we all are asking ourselves what happened to Serbian movie,and this film is reminder that we once had a good directors and for NO.! good screenplays! Movie is intelligent and funny ,like Dusan Kovacevic's work always is. He mocks the regime and at the same time works with really serious subjects and ask serious questions .. I would recommend this movie to anyone . Ilija Cvorovic is a man in his middle age.One day he gets a phone call from the police.He is called to be examined about his neighbor and subtenant . He is afraid of what will the police ask him.But they don't ask him much,they just want to know who is he ,because he just came from France. After that conversation Ilija begin to imagine things ,he thinks that his subtenant is a spy and that kind of thinking led to lot of funny scenes...

Amazing comedy, describes different types of people. Funny and sad at the same time. Masterpiece.