Hotel Belgrad

This movie is fun. Light and entertaining, fast-paced, with an absurd plot and twists around every corner. Super fresh. I'm always a bit sceptical of comedies, especially Balkan comedies - I have a deep hatred of everything vulgar, and the vulgar features heavily in Balkan sense of humour. But this movie had only a small level of vulgarity - just enough to make it realistic (after all, it takes place in Serbia). The movie feels very modern and is very enjoyable. People who rated it super low clearly had unrealistic expectations: not every comedy is supposed to reveal some deep philosophical truth about the world. Cheer up, people!

People tend to take things to seriously. This is not such a movie. It's basically a charming little flick of a movie, with hints of Balkan mentality. So, if you are a Westerner watching it, chances are you might not like it. But, make an effort, just sit back and relax. I find too many commentators being too serious.

The young actor, the main protagonist, Milos Bikovic, is very popular in Serbia and Russia and has been acting in both languages and countries. He plays a rich playboy who inherited a five-star hotel in Belgrade, Serbia. His life is all about going out and dating hot women, not committing to a relationship. When he accidentally destroys a three-million euro "piece of art", a miniature statue of a urinal, he starts being chased by the Serbian mobsters. This is a parody of modern art. Anything and everything can be considered art nowadays.

Stumbling upon an old girlfriend from Russia, he speedingly shows her Belgrade - not telling her that he is being chased by the clumsy mobsters.

During their adventure, he will realise who his true love is.

Slavic and Balkan viewers will connect to the story, mentality and humor better, but Western viewers should watch this as well. Why not? Overcome your political feelings of Russia and just watch it. I liked it and had a nice laugh at times. Just give it a try.

The overwhelming majority of contemporary Russian comedies are one continuous disappointment with flat humor. Seeing this rating I expected about what I have already met in this "cinema field". But I decided, nevertheless, to watch as this film was advised to me. And I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw here. Not a brilliant, but not a garbage as well. It deserves some attention. For a very, very long time, I have not met in Russian cinema adequate humor and staging.

Remember the movie The Grand Budapest Hotel? Maybe director was trying to replicate that? If original was strange, this copy was strange enough. Visually is done nicely, has a brief funny moments that only limited audience can understand and the rest is "running around the set" without a clear objective. Could have been done less chaotic....

The film is in the genre of comedy melodrama. It's cute, heartwarming, light, warm, with beautiful views of the Danube.

Sometimes funny, sometimes it makes you see the reality of Serbia, with its poor villages and its unemployed inhabitants, a kind of mix of humor on the background of the "exotic" for us.

Milos Bitkovic is sweet, tactful, and personally I was a little disappointed, but I think after "Magomaev", you already expect something more from the actor than just a nice guy... In general, a pleasant, light, strained comedy, unloads the brains, gives an opportunity to see Belgrade, the village of Serbia virtually, I wanted to visit... um... this country) in this day and age...