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Dupa dealuri (2012)
another in depth social observation from Mungiu
Mungiu has managed in his films a perfect balance between portraying specific Romanian social-cultural issues and in the same time rendering them universal for the public abroad. He touches some of the Romanian taboos like the Orthodox church and its often brainwash practises, the efficiency of God-like doctors or the dark side of some of the do-gooders in social aid and work. The irony is that while all the characters in the film proclaim often and loud that they are sympathetic towards the orphan girl they are also the authors of her greatest abuses , from financial rip off to medical neglect or physical restraint .The system itself is rejecting the poorest and most vulnerable young people as is pointed out throughout the film by the recurrent motif of 'we have nowhere to go' leaving them in the hands of an often merciless world .In the very best of tradition of the superstitious Christian Romanian culture the real problems are avoided as they will throw a negative light back on everyone so it is easiest to blame all on evil spirits .The last scene gives a great insight into an emotionally devoid society , when such individual drama will become another media circus headline.
This Is 40 (2012)
truly a real picture of the today's modern society
People seem to have mixed feelings after seeing this movie and down-score it due to the fact that is not 'happy' enough and that the characters are unlikable. I believe that in fact this is the writer and director's breakthrough. Real people are like that , sometimes nice and with qualities , sometimes they shout and swear and they are wrong.The relationships are more stress and fights rather than good moments. Aptow managed to show all these many and complex aspects of nowadays society: the pressure on looking good, the obsession about getting older, the way people ended up in financial problems, precisely because they were buying things they could not really afford or need, the 'second' life when you have kids when you are much older, the technology infiltration everywhere,the stressful balancing of different roles at home and at work and the list is never ending. And he presents all these with a humorous detachment from them.The dialogues are witty ,critical and with a lot of references to modern culture. People out there can actually identify with some of these characters and their issues.It's taking a step back and looking at ourselves.