Tatal fantoma

I saw the movie in Chicago and... well... I loved it! It may be the tender, discrete love story, or the cheerful "on the road" adventure. Or the landscape, or the mixture of sadness and joy, I am not sure what it was but I did like it.

The movie has elements of realism and surrealism, minimalism and maximalism (just kidding...) and above all subtle character relations and warm humor. It was refreshing to get a more luminous view of Romania after "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu". This movie is more like "The Life of Mr. Lazarescu".

The acting was good, superb at times (the bus scene, the hotel room scenes, the countryside visits) and rarely sketchy(some City Hall and caravan scenes). Outstanding directing and solid screenplay. Loved the music too.

All in all a very pleasant experience for an open minded viewer. Don't expect a documentary about the hardships of contemporary Romania. You can watch TV for that. Instead, let yourself dream and play along. And towards the end, take a look at your girlfriend...

One of the best regional movies I have watched so far. IT really captures the best current state of affairs in Romania. The movie is funny and has a wonderful story which tells a lot about the way of life in this country and how it is changing everyday.

This country has a rich and wonderful history and at the same time a past which has not only destroyed the people's hopes and drams but also erased parts of this wonderful history. the movie has captured this concept wonderfully.

I enjoyed the movie till the end, the actors are simply wonderful. The acting is natural.The scenes are not set in a set up which is the way in modern day movies. instead this movie is shot int he nature in the cities and towns of this country giving you the raw taste of this country's culture and tradition. For all those who are looking for an alternate from main stream movies I recommend this one.

A must see movie! An extremely interesting story which captures the Romanian reality in a very original, different manner! I was so lucky to get a ticket at the Romanian Film Festival in London last November. I think everyone in the audience - both English and Romanians - loved it.

An extraordinary movie indeed, the best Romanian one I have seen so far, with great acting performances and a great music.

I would highly recommend it to everyone who wants to try a bit of Romanian humor, combined with a great story told by amazing actors.

Everyone should go to see this movie with high expectations... And you will not be disappointed!

it is not exactly the right word. but it is a reasonable one. because it reflects a state. the story of film, itself, is only shadow of a state. the atmosphere.nostalgia, memories, irony about near reality, drops of Chagall or Henri Rousseau, bureaucracy and adventure, good intentions, desire and the spirit of old shtetl. a lost Bucovina. and the meaning of roots. a film like a trip across the old facts, with few drops of Kafka. nothing real surprising. only, maybe, useful. because it is precise picture of a profound need to discover the past, personal past who represents the past of everybody, after a too long period of silence and the fear to be alone in this effort. but the revelation, delicate, subtle, fragile is the perfect answer to all the expectation. so, a beautiful film.

in German," traum", last name of hero, meanings dream. this is one of keys to understand this movie. not very inspired. full of good intentions, sketch of many possibilities,skin of a seductive script it is not a bad film. but, unfortunately, it remains almost a generous promise. the basic idea is interesting. an American writer in search of his origins. but the image of Bukowina, like gray, lost soul land ,is not charming/ correct for a Romanian, even if it is a way to describe Romania by new directors wave . in this case, the sacrifice for noble purpose is fundamental sin of director. because it is part of ordinary cliché. because the events are to many and almost boring. because, after its end, real good point is Marcel Iureș in a strange role. because the message, interesting, smart, is prisoner of another exercise to present a piece from Dracula land. the truth is only convention. but is it right ? because only the South of Bukowina is part of Romania. because this magnificent regions is not collection of ruins. because the story is not so powerful to support every innovation. and the time of rackets / Ukrainian mafia is slice of past. and, in final, because it is a Romanian director work. so, a nice movie. only as intention. or good ingredients for altered salad of a trip, ordinaries cliché, few drops of fantastic in form of dream/ pink fairy tale end, Siret as fragment of Balkan universe, the Jewish line, promising, as smoke ball, and a love story like contortion show.