Highway to Hellas

Forget the Big Fat Greek wedding. This is the movie to watch, if you want to know how Greece and Greeks tick and work. Of course it does have some clichés in it and you cannot put a whole country in one drawer. But this is as close as it gets to show a mentality, that is fun on one hand, but can also be catastrophic on the other.

And while some might feel this could possibly divide Germans and Greeks even more or make a rift between them, I do believe it actually is bringing them closer together. You'll know what I mean after watching this. It's so on the spot with certain things, that though they shouldn't be funny, you can't help but laugh. It's a fine line this movie walks on and it does a stellar job keeping the good work throughout. You may not feel sympathy for one or more characters, but let them develop, let them embrace one another and maybe you can see what they see too ... Hopefully you will ...

The Greeks. The Germans. Age-old hatred and mistrust. The financial crisis. Ecology. Romance. Tragedy. Friendship.

Galapagos in Greece, a.k.a. Palladiki is an out of the big ferry routes island in Greece that has been hit hard by the financial crisis yet its residents have not given up. They have a dream of promoting their island as a vacation spot for ecotourism and have borrowed money from a German bank using a non-existent power station as a collateral. Enter the German bank representative who has come to inspect the island. He is a typical bureaucrat in contrast with the laid-back Greeks (who miraculously speak perfect German because some of them were born and raised in Germany.) The Greeks will try everything in their power to keep the wool over his eyes in order not to lose the loan. He will do everything in his power to uncover the truth.

The story is simple, yet well-told. The actors portray their characters with great skill. Photography is superb. Music starts off good, but excels towards the end. There are no annoying stereotypes. You are able to connect with the characters at human level, taking part in their adventures instead of being a bystander as happens with some modern films. There is real pathos in this film! And delicate reminders of the current situation that Greece is facing.

I loved this film and gave it 9/10 stars. The only reason I took one star off is because I felt it needed a few more walk-ons. Palladiki is eerily devoid of human presence save for the main cast. It is the only thing that was missing. Everything else was there and everyone involved in the making of this film should feel very proud of a job well done! (I had no idea that German film-making was this good - apart from what I consider to be the best version of the Titanic disaster - and will now be open on watching more European films.)

After an intriguing start, I thought that the German bank employee who loves his job and is strict will solve the mystery that's happening on the island and I continued to watch it for a while without getting bored but unfortunately, after a short while, the mystery elements disappeared and the movie turned into an unnecessary and unfunny comedy. Maybe it was a production that I took too seriously, I don't know but for some reason, it reminded me a little of The Wicker Man in the beginning. Towards the end of the movie, the logical errors increased and the movie ended in disappointment. I just liked the cinematography and thought about this, if a serious scenario was created and the comedy was removed, would it have been a much more appreciated movie? I realized that many viewers didn't like the movie and I'm one of them. Despite everything, some messages given to the audience were important.

I was recommended this movie by a friendly couple who had seen it and stated they fairly enjoyed it. To be totally honest at first i was not so keen on watching it as the front cover and the fact that it was a German production and i don't comprehend the language(i listen to movies, so i am not used to reading subtitles) did not appeal to me. However when i started it, i realized it was a nice easy going movie, along the lines of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'. Really nice scenery of our Greek Island and a funny twist of what is consider to be the Greek mentality. If you want a movie that is easy going and not too long, this is a good choice.

Being Greek, I approached this one with a fair bit of trepidation. I was worried that it might lean too heavily on easy clichés and gorgeous photography to have any substance.

I was delighted to be proven wrong. It's by no means THE Greek comedy (that honor is still held by Big Fat Greek Wedding) but it is thoroughly enjoyable and will surprise you with its humor and heart.

Also, add another star if you are stuck in the cold and rain and are craving a holiday in the sun more than anything right now.