As far as known, the Croatian film budgets go below tolerable. Likewise, if staying in Croatia, they can hardly produce anything other than war and drama movies in old fashion. Now comes Metastasis in form of believable drama script with modern elements, modern directing and great cast. In short, Metastasis can be described as Croatian "Generation X" or "Trainspotting". Should you acknowledge that, this movie gains impressive amount of depth.
The book-based plot follows four younger middle-aged men in a somewhat shorter period of time - putting you in the middle of their lives near their personal peak, but teaches you about their past through conversations. The massive plus is an incredible amount of realism, or better say - it is 100% realistic. Those who live in Croatia, specially Zagreb, and experience harder life can truly identify completely with the movie, but even those who don't can recognize the problem this movie grapples with power and offers to the viewer.
There are three major successful factors that bring this movie above average - the acting performance led by ingenious presentation from Rene Bitorajac playing Krpa (a mop), one of four main characters (out of whom all four design rich but realistic company pretty much exactly like those in real life), the brutally real, dynamic and creative dialogs that can be without single doubt literally copy-pasted into life and in no way polished or "movie-like" (note that it's impossible to properly translate them into English, for example, although it's possible to get pretty close), and the selected number of social problems in Croatia all vividly presented as they are and familiar to majority. In some way, by going international the movie might not get as much applause as it should, but among those who can relate to the content, it truly is a masterpiece.
The leading of scenario is in range of modern storytelling and grants familiar but effective feeling of going the right direction. A number of twists, neither unreal, push the movie going, and execution of several scenes leaves powerful mental imprint.
To put it simple, if Croatia was USA, this movie would go into Oscar selection. A must see.
