User Reviews

Fantastic Fest 2023 Greetings again from the darkness. Croatian filmmakers David Kapac and Andrija Mardesic set this story around Christmas, or so it seems anyway. The tinseled tree is up, the house is decorated with blinking lights, and mom is cooking a beautiful turkey for the family meal. Dad and son race to finish their chores before Uncle arrives after his drive from Munich. What appears to be a Norman Rockwell set-up for the family holiday fun is somehow off kilter ... each of the players displays enough awkwardness that we instinctively know not all is as it seems.

Forced conversation at the table turns to forced gratitude as presents are disbursed. A video is shown and then Uncle departs. We are left to wonder what the heck, when another day arrives and the event is recreated ... right down to the roast beast. We soon see piles of turkeys, cigarette cartons, and BB guns, and realize that these evenings are not just uncomfortable, they are being repeated time after time.

Uncle states many times that all he wants is "a perfect Christmas", though it's not until "Sis" accompanies one evening, that we begin to assemble the clues and pieces. There is enough dark comedy in the first half that we chuckle a few times; however, the second half is so bleak and depressing and filled with suspense, that we can only attempt to shake off the feeling of horror that permeates. Two standout performances here belong to screen vet Predrag Miki Manojlovic (as Uncle) and Ivana Roscic (as the mother).

Watched it the other day in cinema, 'cos I wanted to pay full price for the ticket and show my support for Croatian non-arty-farty film.

I'm ambivalent with what I saw.

Camera work, scenography, the cast that's all good and the initial idea for the story is fresh. However, I didn't care for the characters, their plight didn't leave me at the edge of the seat. This film wants to be a psychological thriller but it misses some key components. It has plot holes and there are some rather unconvincing moments - I don't want to write spoilers.

Maybe I'm too critical, but it's only because I want more of non-arty-farty Croatian films and I want those films to be better.

Just finished watching this movie on the Manaki film festival and am completely blown away .

Loved every second of it .

Not what you expect,new,fresh and unique cinema. Hopefully this film will get the credit it deserves .

I feel frustrated because I had to spend money and time to watch this. It's like you gave few guidelines to 1st year student and told him to write a scenario. Typical Croatian movie: no real story just the idea, few scenes of sex just because they have to put it in every movie, story (we can't call this a story) must be much more worked out, we didn't find out anything about their situation that led to this happening, also in the end they tried to be misterious but it was just poor and lazy. I'm surprised that some very good actors accepted to do this. If a 1st year student on academy did something like this, he would get maybe 5/10 rating. In the real adult world, I would rate it 0/10 if I could. Croatian cinematography keeps rolling in the same direction.

The movie is not well thought out. It's based on this idea that's a bit extraordinary, and in my opinion extraordinary ideas need extraordinary explanations. Otherwise we could just keep making things up, and that's not good storytelling.

The story is unconvincing, there are so many plot holes that haven't been addressed, or even attempted to be explained.

Camera was good, acting was mostly good (considering what they had to work with), but the story is lacking, and that's something that can't be fixed with nice filmography, unfortunately.

I'm really disappointed, especially after seeing the cast which gave me some hope that it's going to be a good movie.

If you start this movie, and the lack of solid plot throws you off, just stop, it's not going to change, there is no catharsis, there is no revelation, and ultimately there is no point.