Monday, January 14, 2008

the death of mr lazarescu


this is a film that should be more depressing than it actually is. when mr lazarescu, living in a lonely filthy apartment in bucharest begins to feel unwell and calls the ambulance a long tedious journey begins for him through the night through the absurd bureaucracies of a series of hospitals who keep passing him on to the next. somehow able to stay outside the film we keep watching without getting sentimental as the story unfolds. and thank god for that. nothing in the film seems false or unrealistic with handheld camerawork and great acting. the film is a dry, black but yet warm comedy on the medical profession in romania and will seem closer to home than you can imagine if any of you have been to a municipal hospital in mumbai.

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