Drazen

The movie portrays Drazen as a whole person, not just a basketball player. It reveals sides of him that many didn't know about, both good and bad. In my opinion, that is a major strength. While many expected only a series of basketball games, this film offers so much more (but it does, of course include basketball highlights). It explores his emotional connections with his family as well as his career. The relationship between his mother and him is incredibly moving, and his fight to even be allowed to start playing basketball is deeply inspiring.

I believe the vision for this movie was not only to pay tribute to this extraordinary player but also to show that he wasn't perfect. It serves as a reminder that, despite our flaws, we can still achieve greatness.

The final scene depicting Drazen's tragic death was extremely emotional, leaving a profound impact on the audience. It was so powerful that it brought many to tears, myself included. The scene serves as a poignant reminder of how fragile life is and the importance of making the most of every moment because you never know what could happen. It beautifully captures the shock and sorrow of losing someone so full of life and potential, leaving viewers reflecting on their own lives and the legacies they wish to leave behind.

In addition, this film is a step in the right direction for the Croatian film industry, which has struggled to really inspire. By blending emotional storytelling with a nuanced portrayal of a national hero, "Drazen" sets a new standard for biographical films in the region. It proves that Croatian cinema is capable of producing compelling narratives that resonate on a universal level.

Ultimately, "Drazen" isn't just a movie about basketball; it's a powerful story about ambition, resilience, and the complexities of human nature. It leaves a lasting impact, not only as a tribute to Drazen Petrovic but as a significant achievement in Croatian filmmaking.

To say that this movie is a disappointment is an understatement.

Pros: Technical aspects of the film such as cinematography and sound are well done; Zrinka Cvitesic as Biserka Petrovic is believable as a mother and a human being; Tonko Stosic is charming as young Drazen Petrovic; a fair amount of Drazens' basketball achievements are mentioned; Drazens' work ethic is briefly shown once or twice;

The End.

Cons: This movie fails as a movie, let alone a story about Drazen. When any pivotal conflict suddenly presents itself (via exposition, every single time) it immediately gets resolved (just in passing, every single time) via exposition or a montage in the next scene which sets up a new challenge and around it goes.

The movie is a series of scenes of Drazen hanging out in bars/offices/living rooms, chasing or getting chased by girls and basketball clubs while lightly discussing things he wants to do - and those goals being immediately achieved in a 20-second-montage.

Anything important and interesting is briefly mentioned (or not even mentioned at all), while the rest is an attempt at a Hollywood romantic drama. If you didn't know anything about Drazen before watching this and you blinked during montages about his basketball prowess you still won't know or remember anything about him at the end - well, I guess you'd know he was a basketball player and apparently was very good because everyone says so.

So little of his character was shown: his determination, his leadership, charisma, unbreakable spirit, relationships with people (other than his immediate family or love interests)... Some of it was attempted, but deemed less important.

Domagoj Nizic as adult Drazen doesn't have a passing resemblance to Drazen (even though the actor seems like a sweet guy) but the bigger problem is he can't believably convey Drazens' spirit nor is he believable as a basketball athlete.

I thought my biggest problem with this movie would be inconsistencies involving dialect or lack of basketball scenes, but a decent screenplay to begin with was apparently too much to ask.

I could go on but I respect Drazen (the Man, not this film) too much to go off on this production here...

TL;DR: Story about one of the greatest sports icons famous for his incredible work ethic and for overcoming great odds gets a below average ''tell, don't show'' romantic drama treatment, with some basketball clips running on a TV in the background and hours of talking about a basketball career (could've been about anyone).

Watch some highlights or a documentary instead - you will have a much, much better time.

I'm very sad... ''Zivot leti, kapetane.''

A disappointing film unworthy of the legend whose life story it was supposed to tell.

Drazen is a legendary athlete whose legacy is recognized not only in Croatia, but also in the world.

What is incredible is that the film is boring, pretentious, and the directing is mediocre. Unfortunately, this is the case with most film production in Croatia. There are exceptions, of course, but they are few.

The dialogues are wooden, unconvincing, in short, what we are used to seeing in Croatian productions. As I said, there are exceptions, but unfortunately they are just that, exceptions.

The Mile Kekin head looks like it just came out of the factory, it looks totally fake and rubbery, and the hairline looks hilarious.

A legend like Drazen deserved better. This is a disaster.

It's interesting how they skipped a part of Drazen's life, and a very important one at that.

What's amazing is that they managed to make a boring movie, as if we were watching some statistics.

The guy playing Drazen looks like a fat version of him, with flabby arms and another chin.

Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, but I expected a better movie.

I can't say I'm being objective here-but honestly, I don't want to be. Drazen touched something deep in me, and made me cry like I hadn't cried in a long time watching a film. Because this wasn't just cinema: it was reliving someone who has always been more than a basketball player to me. Drazen was my idol, my reference, my hero. And this movie, despite its flaws, brings him back to life on screen.

This is not a documentary or a sports chronicle. It's an intimate portrait, focused on the man rather than the legend. It works best when it dives into his family relationships-especially with his mother-and when it captures that almost obsessive passion he had for training, for improving, for achieving the impossible. Seeing him as a child, so stubborn and so full of heart, broke me. We already know how his story ends, but here they choose not to show the accident-instead, they remind us of what he was: light, not tragedy.

The main cast performs well, but Zrinka Cvitesic deserves special mention as Biserka Petrovic. What strength, what tenderness, what nuance. And Romina Tonkovic, as Renata-Drazen's great love-plays her with such softness it hurts. Their story is simple, but it moves you. And although the script doesn't always go deep, it leaves an emotional mark.

It's not perfect. Some major games and key moments-especially with the national team-are missing, and parts of the film feel more like obligatory steps than emotional beats. The U. S. part is the weakest, and the ending is a bit too sweet. But even so, the film achieves something rare: you leave the theater with a tight chest and a full heart.

Drazen isn't just a biopic. It's a love letter to someone truly one of a kind. A film that, while it may fall short historically, hits the mark emotionally. And for that-because it made me cry, remember, and love him even more-it's already something special to me.

The movie looks like Drazen's mother was written the script. So many aspects of his professional career are missing, especially his success with Yugoslavia basketball team, whyle trying to tell some romantic story about the girl nobody knows about it. As a neutral, I know that Croats and Serbs has many problems because of breakuo of Yugoslavia, but you cannot just skip those things just like that. That's the untergral part of Drazen's life and career.

Also the acter and his Afro haircut looks ridiculous, and he doesn't resemble to Drazen at all. From the cinematic and production side, movie looks good.