richard-mcgeough

I wanted to enjoy A Picture With Yuki more than I did. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't watch it. (At the time of writing, it was showing on Netflix here in Bulgaria.)

Yes, it's flawed. The chemistry between the two leads never feels convincing. Yes, there's call for a certain awkwardness given the setting of the film. But the awkwardness on view feels more due to the two leads' limited acting abilities than to any situational awkwardness. And while I have no objection in principle to films with a languid pace, the pace of A Picture With Yuki can occasionally feel positively glacial.

Those are the obvious flaws. Yet at its best - and there are several excellent scenes - A Picture With Yuki offers a fascinating window into the troubled relationship between the Bulgarian and Romany communities in rural Bulgaria. It touches on pride, guilt, suspicion and prejudice, and features compelling, painfully human performances by a grieving Romany couple. They are the real stars of this film, not the awkward charisma-free leads.

Certainly worth watching - especially if, like us, you're visiting Bulgaria and want to understand the country and its people better.

There's an engaging story here, some excellent cinematography, and some solid performances. Plus, it's all going on in early twentieth century Poland - what's not to like?

Unfortunately, all this promise is somewhat marred by an overdramatic score - cue one thousand violins! - that browbeats you into What You Should Be Feeling, even though you're feeling it just fine without the score. It's also rather marred by one key character who has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, whose only function is as a pantomime villain. Feel free to boo and hiss at the screen every time said character appears! Poor scripting in which characters regularly explain the plot to each other also jars: "Where are we going?" "To find a doctor!" Really? I believe I can work that out by myself, thanks very much.

Still, despite these flaws, and despite the film's descent into full-blown mawkishness in its final minutes, there's also much to engage with. Previously, most Polish films I've seen have focused on the Second World War, or on life in Poland as a Soviet client state. It was refreshing to see a Polish film set a century ago in a world that was shortly to disappear in the coming storm. No doubt there are many others, but it was a new experience for me. This alone was sufficient to keep me watching despite the occasional reflexive eye-roll.