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| Movie Review: Police, Adjective Alternate Title: Boring, Adjective
Story: A movie is supposed to
move. This film was very much like watching grass grow. Yes, we all
know that much of real life police work is drudgery, procedural paperwork
and long hours. However, that reality doth not make for good cinema.
This exercise in viewer patience was produced, written and directed
by one of Romania's most famous New Wave personalities, Corneliu
Porumboiu (12:08 East of Bucharest). For much of the film we get to watch policeman Cristi tail his suspect
- a high school kid who is suspected of dealing hashish. Problem is,
after eight days, Cristi cannot find evidence, other than a few cigarette
butts of widespread malfeasance and he does not want to send a high
school kid to prison for seven years for a crime that Cristi is sure
will be legalized soon - in line with how the rest of Europe treats
recreational drug use. Long stretches of the film involve no dialogue. Instead, we watch Cristi
watch the kid, watch the kid's house, watch the kid's friends and watch
the kid's family cars. There is an occasional foray into discussions
of grammar with his wife and a long scene towards the finale that involves
a dictionary. It was at this point that I said I should leave the theater
but it was so cold outside I decided to stay and watch the rest of the
film. I know this is supposed to be an intellectual exercise but I am
giving it an F. Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu84bfarqqA Acting: Dragos Bucur as Cristi, Vlad Ivanov as Anghelache,
Irina Saulescu as Anca), Ion Stoica as Nelu, Marian Ghenea as the Prosecutor
and Cosmin Selesi as Costi somehow all managed to keep a straight face
during the filming of this movie.
Trivia: Director Corneliu Porumboiu won
the Jury Prize at Cannes for this film. Romania entered
this film as it's one official entry into this year's Academy Award
race.
Predilection: None
Critters: Street dogs
Food: Chicken noodle soup, bread and goulash.
Sex Spectrum: If only...
Soundtrack: I cannot remember anything about a soundtrack.
I might have gone into an altered state at some point while watching
this film.
Visual Art: This town somewhere in Romania is very
gray, bland and very definitely still has the flavor of the eastern
Bloc of Communist Romania.
Theater Audience: Three other somewhat conscious
people.
Weather: Gray, cold and misty.
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: 0
Drift Factor: Drifting does not adequately described
my mental state. Predictability Level: I could not care less what
happened.
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: No
Big Screen or Rental: Neither
Length: Thankfully under two hours but felt longer.
LOBO HOWLS: 3
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