O kalyteros mou filos

When I got this movie on video I didn't know anything about it. I hadn't even seen Smaragda Karidi before(and yes she is a knock-out)! I was very pleasantly surprised straight from the start. The movie doesn't take long to suck you in. It's fast, very funny, intelligent and very well directed (although I have the suspicion that the good direction comes from Giorgos Lanthimos and not Mr. Lazopoulos who as a director hasn't showed as any exceptional samples before...). The movie feels and looks more European with great photography and camera work. Sure, the theme (love, friendship, disloyalty)isn't going to get an award for originality but it has some really original scenes in it. Having said that the plot is quite unpredictable and full of clever dialogues.

The relationship between the two best friends and their wives is depicted brilliantly, the acting from the main characters is flawless and the whole film will give you an hour and a half of pure entertainment.

I'm not a big fan of Greek cinema and I think that most Greek films fall into two big categories, the(so called) sophisticated dramas and the TV-like silly comedies(see 'safe sex', the Greek American pie-for 30-40something Greeks). This film, although still a comedy, there is no way you can describe it as silly. For me personally it's the best Greek movie I saw in years. No deep hidden meanings, no nonsense. Just what I needed for the evening. Pure fun.

The script was written in a very clever way. An amazing modern greek comedy which has to do with love, sex and friendship. The actors were all played their role with a great success. It was a lot of fun watching this movie.

This movie was a disappointment. Lazopoulos has the Greek audience accustomed to higher quality movies than this with content that can be viewed and appreciated by different audiences, something like Simpsons.

In this movie, Lazopoulos fails to impress with a script that has appeared in a way or another many times in Hellenic cinema in the past four or five years. The movie is about relationships and although at times successfully points out interesting facts about the Greek society and the relationships present, it is an abused subject.

The acting is below average, with Kafetzopoulos playing the usual role taken from a well known greek TV Series. Lazopoulos performs well (as usually) with his distinctive style of the shy, introvert and smart greek person. He's good at it and loved exactly for that. But it ends up being boring and repetitive after a point.

Overall, the movie is not recommended. I can be thought as a set of jokes, slapped together in an evening and leaves you with a bitter feeling and a guilt for throwing away 2800 drachmas for the ticket.

Let's face it: Greek cinema is really in medieval stage - even if movies tend to become much better the last years, that we are having a new wave of new and more modern filmmakers.

This brilliant film has great editing, camera-work, dialogs and great performances by all actors. If your are foreigner, take this as a different comedy which also works as a guide to Greek mentality and ENJOY. And check out also Nikolaidis films.

If you're Greek , you will have propably already seen it and formed your opinion. If not, this not the definite Lazopoulos as you know him from Deka mikroi mitsoi - still the film is great!!!

PS: The ending is a bit of a let-down...