Pietinia Kronikas

Pietinia kronikos might just be the first truly authentic Lithuanian coming-of-age film, evoking the spirit of J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. What elevates this movie to instant classic status is its exceptional attention to detail and craftsmanship.

The casting is flawless - every character feels like they've been plucked straight from the 1990s. The art direction deserves special recognition for its meticulous recreation of the era: from the clothing and hairstyles to the cars and even the food. I discussed this with a few people who were young in the '90s, and the only noticeable anachronism we could spot was a blue leather jacket - a fashion item that simply didn't exist in early '90s Lithuania.

The soundtrack is another highlight, perfectly encapsulating the mood and cultural essence of the period. At its core, though, the movie owes much of its authenticity to R. Kmita's original story - a true coming-of-age tale that explores the struggles and complexities of youth without the sugary endings we've come to expect from Hollywood.

What makes Pietinia kronikos resonate so deeply is its humanity. Each character feels vivid and real, their stories relatable and unpolished, much like life itself. This is a film that doesn't just depict a time and place; it pulls you into it. For me, Pietinia kronikos is more than a movie - it's a window into a world that feels achingly familiar, a reminder of what it meant to grow, to struggle, and to live in 90s Lithuania.

A true masterpiece emerging from lithuanian film production! From the first seconds it took me straight to the middle of 90's era- where the main action takes place. It's the time of "wild west" period in an ordinary Lithuanian town. Corruption, unemployment, local crime, undergroud business- a reality of a post soviet era. In it's epicenter - a life of an ordinary local teenager Rimantas (Dziugas Grinys) who's trying to find himself and navigate his life through friends, parents, lovelife and his passion for rugby. Teamed with his best buddy "gezas" Minde (amazing performance by Robertas Petraitis) they both are fighting for their place under the sun.

If you feel nostaglia for 90's, love to have a good laugh and comming-of-age genre- this film is for you!

This movie is a nostalgic time machine for older generation, and exotic glimpse to history for the young ones, or foreigners. Of course, the 90's in Lithuania were dangerous, wild and brutal, but this is entertainment piece, not an uncensored documentary. The props are convincing, the actors are very natural, the music brings tears. A mix of VHS aethetics with real archives is very well done and convincing. Only the native speakers will appreciate a fun of the local "dialect" so foreigners will not experience the movie to the fullest. The storyline itself is quite basic, with some fun elements - just a teenager, who tries to figure out life.

Screenplay author made the flawless job - although the book containts lot's of important lines, there was no feeling that something is missed, the story line is perfect, there could be a sequel exploring those other lines. The picture is truly immersive. The content - R. Kmita created something so touching that you cannot look away. The movie touches you even you have already read the book. And both book and movie are splendid in their own sense.

The screenplay does not heavily explore the realities of 90-ies - it is explored thorugh work of the director and operator - picture, scenes. Characters made their best to be authentic - people, but from that era.

Enjoy!

Didn't expect much by going to see this movie, but ended up being surprised.

Usually I don't like Lithuanian movies, because most of them are just based on other movie scripts, and acting is terrible, but this movie was something different.

It's bassed on 90s Lithuania, as I have never experienced it, this movie was very interesting. Well shot scenes, good camera work, 90s clothing and style.

Only bad thing was a poor plot. 2 hours of screen time and as a main character said: Kaip ir nieka nenutika ( Nothing really happened ). Maybe just some charakter improvement, but couldn't say that it was big. Everything stayed the same.