Si quiero silbar, silbo

Is not necessarily a bad movie and for a new viewer of Romanian movies could be quite interesting. The problems of the movie are the theme and filming style. I'm sick and tired of Romanian movies filmed from hand to provide reality (if I want reality I open the door or the TV) and also to see movies about low-end society family problems. I don't need to go to cinema and pay to have a better understanding of 5 o'clock TV news. Romania is much more better than it's low life and I hope one day, Romanian movie makers will stop pushing forward the garbage (for other to pity us) and start doing movies to promote us as we really are: beautiful, smart and extremely funny!

I don't usually write movie reviews, but I was so impressed after watching that I couldn't stand some of the bad reviews that were written here. This movie is indeed not for everyone. But that's the whole point of it and what brings value to it. If you were expecting some afternoon fun maybe you were watching the wrong movie. I don't like all those Romanians who are not confident about their own identity and keep bragging about the Romanian movie "industry". This movie proves that we can still make good movies on a low budget. Even if the storyline may have been a bit exaggerated the director has made an excellent portrait of Romanian prisons and of the drama that goes with it. The "reality" is "straigh in your face" and that's what I was expecting from it. The end is unexpected and fresh.

A visual artist knows that adding a little dot of light in the iris could change the whole portrait or even ruin the initial intention. Not adding the right dot, could have the same effect. Finding THAT balance, something needed in everything we do! That balance is written all over this movie! One reviewer from Romania is fed up with "movies about low-end society family problems". I don't know if Romanians make only such movies but this one is certainly not about Romania. And here the balance I was talking about becomes clear: a simple, personal tragedy may look unimportant to others but to the one who is tormented by it, it becomes life itself. The whole movie is feeding on this sentence, if I may say so. It dictates the filming and editing style (kudos for editing!), the choice of characters, dialog (probably improvised) and everything else. The movie is quiet (almost no soundtrack, very long minutes of no dialog, long takes) and yet the tension and ugliness of the personal horror could deafen someone. The hand held camera is also barely noticeable (someone was complaining about it), far from a Dogma head ache. This slight shake is a reminder the story is not a studio pose but a live action. The theme could be illustrated in many other ways, and it's been done before, probably because the theme is so human and unfortunately forever recurrent. But what impressed me the most is the movie as a whole. The film maker, if I can make him "responsible" for the result, must be a very elegant man, in terms of manners. A man that doesn't shout out his empathy but presents it on a silver tray. Bravo!

This film is full of suspense, tragedy, and irony. With the focus on excellent acting and directing, rather than special effects and music, this movie incites the viewer to ponder its messages long after the last credits. Raising issues related to the importance of parenting, the frustration of hoping when the system is against you, and the role administrators play in keeping the accused, even when rehabilitation is imminent, in prison.

In this film director Florin Serban's mastery lies in his ability to create an intense atmosphere parallel to that which Sergio Leone created in the "Spaghetti Westerns" of the mid-twentieth century. The tension felt when just a few forceful words are combined with meaningful body language is remarkable. Actor George Pistereanu is a talent to keep watching; his powerful interpretation of the role of Silviu is as charming and convincing as it is haunting.

Eu Cand Vreau sa Fluier, Fluier – If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle – CATCH IT (B+) A Romanian movie about a young teenager, who has spent four years in a youth penitentiary, is granted release. Before he can leave, his mother returns to Romania to bring his little brother to Italy with her, despite Silviu's objections. He meets a young woman, Ana, who is working on a research project in the prison, and becomes interested in her. In his desperation Silviu resorts to violence, and Ana becomes his hostage. The premises and the execution of the movie are really intriguing. This is my first Romanian movie and somehow I found the Romanian music very close to the Afghani music. But anyhow the best part of the movie is its young cast. George Piştereanu as rebellious teenager is simply amazing. It's so great to see how he communicates with his brother, mother, inmates and Anna. Through his performance he showed four different sides to his personality. Even though I found his actions crazy as he is so close to getting release for ever but hey it's the script. Once the movie is over all you can think if he just could have controlled himself for another few days. On the whole, it's a really nice movie and shows something really refreshing in juvenile jails otherwise I was fed up of watching rapes in almost every jail movie.