Where Eskimos Live

I caught this film yesterday on cable TV channel. Though it wasn't about eskimos it was surprisingly very good. So I was pleasantly surprised watching this touching and realistic drama about recent Balkan war. Well, it can be any of modern war - war it's a horrible thing wherever it happens.

I don't like tell many words about the plot but because this film isn't famous it worth several lines. It's a 1995, in former Yugoslavia, at the height of the war. Bob Hoskins (only one Anon-Polish actor in the movie) played Sharkey, who wants for some reason get a kid (perfectly played by young polish talent Sergiusz Zymelka) out of a war torn country. Everywhere is anarchy, brigandage and marauding. Man's life worth simply nothing. For young orphan Vlado Sharkey it's the only chance for escaping from this nightmare. But for this they must travel hundreds miles through many obstacles. At the time of this journey we learn more about two main characters. All scenes through the agonizing country were perfectly shot and looked incredibly powerful and realistic. Also I found story didn't so forced like in some others modern war films (though it also wasn't flawless here). Cinematography was almost perfect, also worth to mention the very good soundtrack.

Overall, I found Where Eskimos Live very good for such small-budgeted production. So, if you get a chance I recommend to all people check it out.

My grade 8,6 or A-. Thanks for reading and sorry for my bad English.

This film easily ranks as one of the worst movies I have ever seen! And I don't mean that in a "so-bad-it's-almost-good" kind of way. The nicest thing I can say about it was that it was well-intentioned. The plot was embarrassingly amateurish, and relied on several bizarre coincidences. For example, the entire premise (and hence the title) rests on the fact that the boy, Vlado, who has been orphaned in the Bosnian conflict, dreams of escaping to Norway, because that's "where Eskimos live". But, inexplicably, Bob Hoskins' character, Sharkey (who is supposed to be Polish) introduces himself to Vlado by saying he comes from Norway. This is never explained, but we are meant to accept that Vlado somehow trusts Sharkey, because he says he Norwegian. What's also inexplicable is just how bad Bob Hoskins (sublime in films like "Felicia's Journey") is in this film. He didn't phone in his performance - he asked a casual acquaintance to email it for him. Hoskins' accent veered from Cockney to very fake-sounding upper-crust British, to very fake-sounding sort-of Polish. Then he just gave up and grunted like a dyspeptic bear. But the other actors weren't any better. If you want to see a good film about the Bosnian conflict, try "Cabaret Balkan" or "No Man's Land". Just don't waste any time or money trying to get through "Where Eskimos Live".

WHERE ESKIMOS LIVE is one of those surprise films that appears out of nowhere, without ballyhoo, not apparently having been on the theatrical release circuit, yet once discovered serendipitously in the video store and watched, makes such an impact that its anonymity is a puzzle. Writer/director Tomasz Wiszniewski (with Robert Brutter sharing the writing credits) has created a unique and brave little film that takes advantage of some unknown terrain and retains the flavor of a country in all manner of representation.

The place is Bosnia during the war when entire cities were being destroyed, leaving the children homeless, without parents, fending for themselves in any way possible. They live in squalor, in famine, stealing what they can to survive, yet holding together as a group with some sense of hopeless dignity. Among these boys is Vlado (Sergiusz Zymelka), a street-smart kid always on the lookout for his Down's Syndrome friend while seeking any way possible to escape his fate. Enter Sharkey (Bob Hoskins) brandishing a UNICEF passport and badge (he is from Norway where Eskimos live...!) trying to 'save' one small boy from the war to freedom and protection across the border. He meets all manner of opposition, especially from the military Colonel Vuko (Krzysztof Majchrzak), who decides to let Sharkey pass on the condition that Sharkey take his sole young daughter to safety. Fate strikes, the jeep with the Colonel's daughter explodes and Sharkey narrowly escapes with the Colonel in hot pursuit mistakenly thinking the landmine that destroyed the jeep was engineered by Sharkey. Sharkey encounter's Vlado's gang and eventually Vlado talks Sharkey into taking him as the 'saved' boy, fully realizing that Sharkey's Unicef badge is a cover for his unlawful child marketing. The two bond slowly and in time each uses the other for their private goals and gradually they grow to need each other to survive. Their relationship is radiant and inspiring and leads them to surprising changes in their lives.

The cast is extraordinary: Hoskins knows how to make an evil con man grow on his viewer and Sergiusz Zymelka is a gifted young actor. The film is difficult to watch at times because the camera does not shy away from the heinous crimes and gore of war, but that fact only serves to make the story more credible. The dialogue is a bit shallow and awkward at times, but the message is obviously from the heart. This is a fine low budget film from a Polish director and cast that makes us take notice of unknown talents. It is a fine little film! Grady Harp

Driving thru Park City on a frantic trip to get back to Pennsylvania before law classes started again I was happy to be able to get into any movie, even one that sounded like it was going to be a 90 minute Warholesque still shot of an igloo.

However, I was pleasantly surprised to get an drama spliced with some action with I guess a touch of realism thrown in for good measure.

I am not giving away much of the plot to say that Hoskins is basically a man trying to get a child out of a war torn country. You needn't know much more than that. It could be set in any country during any war but the fact that is is so close to the present gives it a very cool feel. If you are looking to be blown away but want to have a pleasant movie experience I say check this puppy out.

I generally stay away from war movies. Its hard for me have to watch what people have to endure on a daily basis. It is especially hard to have to think about all the children out there who are orphans because of it. That is the basis of the movie. Sharkey has papers to get a 9 yrs old boy out of the country, so he searches for a boy that fits the profile. He runs into a gang of orphans who banned together to take care of each other. The boy who designated himself the leader will only let him take a grown boy with learning disabilities. As Sharkey continues on his quest, a young boy sneaks away from the group to see if Sharkey will take him. He is the right age, so Sharkey sets off with the boy. This is the story of their journey of running into other gangs, road blocks, dodging gun fire and other dangers. When he gets to his destination, he wonders if the boy is in just as much danger. He has to figure out how to get him out of that situation. It was a good movie, depressing and disturbing at times. But it was made very well and the acting by Sharkey and Vlado was wonderful. I am sure it did a good job of realistically depicting the horrors of war.