thury

This is Ferenc Török's second major film; Moszkva Tér, a Hungarian cult classic, was the first. Török is a very wry filmmaker. I watched the deleted scenes section of the DVD -- it comes with commentary, a feature I have never seen for deleted scenes before. In this section, he talks about how he took out all the "Hungarian road film" aspects, all the romantic scenes, all the buddies-clowning-around improv his actors added. He wanted this to be a dark film, and he has succeeded, but it is also, as he intended, a film about heroes, about the ordinary guy as a hero in a hierarchical world. As such, it is an excellent portrayal of modern-day Hungary, and many other places as well. This is also a very beautiful film -- the photography is stunning. The plot is minimal, so don't look for much action. But there is lots of fine acting, and some outstanding studies of characters alienated from the modern world.

We enjoyed this movie because it was a lighthearted comedy but it never settled into the clichés of that genre. Compared to something like You've Got Mail or Amelie it contained complex and interesting characterizations. It was maybe a little too long, but it was fun. There were many amusing little portraits in it, like the mother who couldn't stand to tell her neighbors that the daughter wasn't getting married. The role played by Csányi Sándor was delightful. There is a montage of girlfriends attending a singles club that is very poignant and concise and then later the mood created there underlies some of the more slapstick aspects of the courtship rituals.