With a slow pace, weak plot, terrible dialogue and a Donnie Darko-timeline, this film has nothing to offer Americans. It is simply a collaboration of mediocre cinematography combined with fragments of a plot only suited for foreign-filmers who don't expect any character development, decent acting, "good" directing, or even a freaking point. It's a silent film, but with words, and it bored the crap out of me. First of all, I was confused. I have never been so frustrated with a movie; ironically, I expect this to be one of those films that you're supposed to allow it to affect you without worrying about it, but ouch what a headache...
Okay... I'm very picky about my movies and usually blow off most "Hollywood" movies right away, unless I see that people like it or have some special reason to go see it, but even then I am often disappointed. Independent cinema is where it's at... but to be completely honest, most foreign films drive me mad. So many of them will spend 10-20 minutes just letting something "sink in"... that means no dialogue and often no score for an unfairly long amount of time! Dialogue is the key to successful filming, that's where the screenwriters should come in, and Manchevski is clueless. The dialogue was worthy of only Keanu Reeves and there was far too little of it to make a whole movie, so instead they showed us the same shots, and the same angles over and over again, against the sound of silence, expecting dramatic effect. And then oh no! A random guy pops out with a gun and destroys any hope the movie had in being any good. I must admit I was hopeful when the movie started, I watched closely, listened closely, thought openly, and was ultimately crushed by its inability to give me what I paid for. It sucked butt.
Okay... I'm very picky about my movies and usually blow off most "Hollywood" movies right away, unless I see that people like it or have some special reason to go see it, but even then I am often disappointed. Independent cinema is where it's at... but to be completely honest, most foreign films drive me mad. So many of them will spend 10-20 minutes just letting something "sink in"... that means no dialogue and often no score for an unfairly long amount of time! Dialogue is the key to successful filming, that's where the screenwriters should come in, and Manchevski is clueless. The dialogue was worthy of only Keanu Reeves and there was far too little of it to make a whole movie, so instead they showed us the same shots, and the same angles over and over again, against the sound of silence, expecting dramatic effect. And then oh no! A random guy pops out with a gun and destroys any hope the movie had in being any good. I must admit I was hopeful when the movie started, I watched closely, listened closely, thought openly, and was ultimately crushed by its inability to give me what I paid for. It sucked butt.