Jagoda u supermarketu

Neatly made, though nothing spectacular film from Yugoslavia (Serbia). Has a made-for-television feel to it (though i'm not sure if this is the case, or if this film had a cinema release in it's homeland).

Some of the attempts at slapstick comedy just did not work, our hijacker constantly slipping on the floor wore thin after about the second time. The mocking of the police by the crowd was rather unrealistically childish.

Hard to find any fault with the acting performances working with a threadbare script.

My advice put your brain into stand-by mode & just let this film take you for a rather silly ride. 5/10

It could have been sharp comedy about globalization, one small Balkan country in transition, romance, confusion and charming local customs. Like making fun of police, taking any chance to organize demonstrations, taking any chance to make fun of Americans, globalization, recent Balkan history, current political situation and Serbian mentality. This combo is spiced by personal stories of main characters who turn out to be confused and lost in today's world. Main music theme, hilarious brass band cover of "Lost in Supermarket" (Clash) represents personal stories of Jagoda and Marko, who are both indeed "lost in supermarket". Sounds irresistible, considering the fact that cast has one of top Serbian comedy actors.

All of the above is shaded by "could have been". What this film really turned out to be is confused as main characters. But, while Jagoda and Marko seem to find their place in the world, this movie doesn't. It lacks dynamics and consistent story line. It's up to actors to shape and liven up the movie and they truly did their best. But it takes more then charming Branka Katic's smiles, hilarious facial expressions by Srdjan Todorovic or ruthless mockery of police forces to make great comedy.

While very idea is good, both writing and directing fail to meet quality of "it could have been" factor. Kudos to casting and production team who did their job with flying colors. Worth watching only if you are fan of Branka Katic, Srdjan Todorovic, Danilo Lazovic or local football champion "Red Star".

The movie is very simple, easy-going, a bit grotesque, and a bit melodramatic. And funny of course. Very suitable to watch once a year with your grandma if you have one. We have a supermarket in our town and, guess, the first time it opened (not so long ago, by the way), its alien atmosphere provoked people to behave in awkward ways. Now we are accustomed to such type of shops and the magic is gone.

The music is too loud sometimes and can cause headache. But that's all right. It is supposed to be fiery and hectic. The presentation of the events is quite childish and there will be no problem to watch it together with little children in a kindergarten.

7 out of 10. Thanks for attention.

While this is by no means an incredible film, one must appreciate that it's much better fare than most romantic comedies. I disagree with the perception of the film as a justification for the Milosevic years. In my opinion, it presents the view that the old leaders had their problems, and that people must be careful to ensure that new problems don't develop. It's ridiculous to assume that condemnation of the present necessarily implies glorification of the past.

The acting is great, with Jagoda and Marko coming across as absolutely hilarious. The choice of the Clash's "Lost in the Supermarket" was divine, and the brass rendition of it throughout the film adds to the football pitch atmosphere outside of the supermarket. A delight for non-Yugoslav film goers and the more initiated alike.

A great mix of satire, slapstick, cheesy romance and sentimentality, this movie uses an unlikely scenario to deal with themes such as westernisation, alienation in modern living, and romantic love.

In all fairness, it doesn't really deal with any of them in any thorough way, but who cares? It's entertaining viewing. Its easy-going feel as a film is created by its low budget looking filming and sometimes acting, a feature that works as a plus, as the movie is not meant to be taken too seriously, though there are serious ideas in there. It's more a light hearted satire, for example, as the hostage situation gets underway, a small crowd gathers, soon growing into a large crowd with an uncanny similarity to a crowd of football (soccer) supporters. The makers use this crowd to represent the current popular opinion in Serbia, for example, when the police show up, they are boo-ed and insulted and called American backed puppets, the comedy element is added by the crowd chanting and clapping their insults as though at a game. Hard to explain, hilarious to watch.

So in that sense, the movie is as much theatre as it is cinema, with no real attempt to be taken totally seriously. Overall a well rounded if not silly script, I'd recommend this film mostly on its story telling forte.