Umbre

Absolutely brilliant actors, very refreshing to see a different kind of acting, more organic and realistic. I binge watched it and I hope more seasons will fallow without killing other important characters!

This film is from Romania, yet easily hangs with the best that HBO, Netflix, & Hollywood have ever offered. Umbre is about a family man who tries to balance his life a taxi driver with his secret life in the Romanian underworld. Backs are stabbed, and plots are schemed. If you like shows like the Sopranos or Breaking Bad, check this out. You won't be disappointed.

I have to admit I'm not familiar with the Romanian cinema, but it seems they have some serious talent. Story follows a cab driver, who works as a debt collector for a local gangster and, of course, things get complicated rather quickly.

Some people compare this with Sopranos, but it is in my opinion very different. Maybe it's the east European setting, cheap cars and run- own houses, but it sells the idea that he is doing it just to survive. There is no glam gangster life present in Sopranos, no pools, no expensive cars, just making the ends meet.

The production value is high. Good acting, writing and directing. I think it helps seeing actors you've never seen before,because it makes them more believable and you can enjoy them without prejudice.

Nice little change of pace from the same old, same old American TV shows.

Most watchers will compare this series with other international big-budget successes such as Breaking Bad, the Sopranos or the Wire. I think that this is the first mistake that the Romanian audience makes. The second one is referring to the language that is used as being to vulgar or non-representative for the street (illegal) activities that occurs in Romania. The third mistake is emphasizing the lack of character development.

On the first case, this is a low budget series, with its main aim being entertainment. If it plays well, then the future seasons will, most likely, be better. Comparing apples and oranges is one thing - they're both fruit, but comparing sledgehammers and ponies is a totally different thing. This series was created for the Romanian audience, not the American one, and because the watcher's used to American series, then he is part of the American audience.

Secondly, on the language used, referring to it as exaggerated means not seeing the chain of events. Each episode has 45 minutes and it reflects 45 minutes of events, which happen to be the ones that demand that type of language. Again, this is due to the lack of experience the Romanian audience has with this type of native- swearing. We're used to foreign street language and we consider it natural, but when someone talks like that in Romanian its, somehow exaggerated.

Thirdly, the lack of character development might be seen as an issue, but, to my eyes, this is what makes the show entertaining. You don't know what to expect from the main character, especially since he's an anti-hero. Not being fed with the way you should feel about the main character gives this story an upper hand.

Nevertheless, I must say that I'm writing this review based only on the first five episodes, but even so, I personally find this show highly entertaining with more than just a few glances of genius writing and acting. A definite must for Romanian speakers and highly recommended for those into the anti-hero underworld drama series.

After the first two episodes, I just can't stop myself from laughing through each episode. The irony just gets deeper and deeper by each episode. Especially in silence, Relu's or his wife's expression just got me bursting out in laughter (the wedding episode is the icing on the cake).

I am pretty sure this series is not meant to be dark humor type like say, Patriot, or action-comedy genre, but it actually makes me laugh uncontrollably at times. It totally deserves 10 stars.