12:08 East of Bucharest (2006)
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12:08 East of Bucharest Movie Review
12:08 East of Bucharest is a 2006 Romanian film directed by Corneliu Porumboiu. It’s such a good, witty flick.
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“Are you allowed to criticize the Party?
In principle, yes. But it is better to live at home“
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Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a huge event for this particular country as it resulted in the change of tides from Communism to a more modern, though still not without its flaws society. It even led to the execution of Nicolae Ceausescu, a dictator responsible for so many of the country’s problems.
This is necessary to know, at least the basics, before watching the movie which actually doesn’t really deal with this event, but the aftermath of it. And it doesn’t deal with it seriously, but in the entirely opposite, comedic direction. Though that is problematic having in mind the gravity of this event and its aftermath, the humor is so good that I ultimately really liked it.
So the movie deals with three distinctly different characters. One is a retired professor and a drunkard, one is employed as a Santa and the other is an anchorman. Though individually none of the characters got enough moments to shine, they are wonderful as a group as their dynamic is infectious and they are quite amusing together.
The acting is also strong across the board, and the direction from Corneliu Porumboiu is actually very good. Though the film very much felt cheap given its lack of more cinematic qualities and just a couple of locations and very long sequences of conversations, it was still very well filmed, and I particularly loved that snowy ending which was very poetic, and the message at the end was honestly beautiful about enjoying the day, and forgetting about politics.
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The film is oddly structured as the first half is spread between different characters, and then they of course get into this television program about the aftermath of the revolution which lasts for a very long time. However, the very dry humor there was so good that I ultimately fell in love with most of that sequence. It explored so well how everybody can get an event all differently, and how small town people behave and interact was incredibly truthfully portrayed.
12:08 East of Bucharest is oddly structured and not particularly cinematic, but it’s very well directed, well-acted and featuring a wonderful message at the end. The film is a very funny comedy that amusingly showcases the attitude of small town people and it deals with the aftermath of Romanian Revolution of 1989 in an unexpectedly witty, but still sophisticated manner.
