Casatoria

I expected this film to be bad, as (relatively high-budget) Romanian comedies usually are lately, but it was an utter disappointment. It was the first time I ever felt the urge to leave my seat in the cinema. The script is lamentable, the jokes are grotesquely lame, the anachronistic setting fails to create anything other than sheer confusion, and the crude caricatures of the characters were painfully lacklustre. Especially since I had high expectations from Bendeac who gives off the impression of an erudite. Also, the covert shoutout to gambling companies are simply disgusting. Overall, it's an hodgepodge meant for cheap laughs and commercial success.

I want to start by saying that I am not a fan of comedies and I went to this movie without any expectations and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this movie.

The cinematography and sound are exceptional, as are the costumes, and the actors also do a wonderful job. Although I liked that very good actors were used in small roles such as Anca Dinicu because you need something like that to have a perfect film, I am still disappointed that Ilona Brezoianu did not have a bigger role because I think she would have be perfectly suited, the scene in which she appears is one of my favorites. Another thing that I didn't like was the role of Pintileasa, who gave me the feeling that he tried a technique that he doesn't master very well. I don't know if that's how the character was written or if he was just empty trying to play it, but I can say for sure that in my opinion it was a weak role, instead Vlad Dragulin completely stole the show and I really recommend you to see this movie 2 times, and the second time just keep your eyes on Dragulin regardless of what happens in the movie and you will definitely not regret it. He was exceptional in the role of Arsenie. As for Bendeac, I can say that he was very good in his usual quality as a great actor, and being the director of the film, I can understand why he was not the main actor. I also really liked the role of Lidoscika, which seemed to me a very difficult one full of extremely well portrayed facial expressions. I couldn't wait for the film to finish to check on my phone who is the actress who played this difficult role, if she is one with great experience or one less known who plays a big role. I also liked the actors who played the roles of her parents, both of them very good and it can be seen that they are actors with great experience.

Another thing that I didn't like besides that of the main actor is that the film has a direction of parody in certain moments which in my opinion was not necessary.

After all, it is a very good movie, you will definitely not get bored and don't forget my advice, if you afford, try to see it twice, the second time only with your eyes on Vlad Dragulin and you will actually see 2 different movies, one better than the other.

This movie was under my expectations given the talent of Mihai Bendeac, and the two main things that made this movie bad are the script and the music.

The problem with the script is that the characters are simply poorly written, predictable, based of cliches and simple jokes. It was like I was watching a children's movie because of the exaggerated traits of each character. There were also some characters that seemed like product placement because they are celebrities and their roles brought nothing.

The mixing of present day and past also was poorly executed, and if the director really wanted to do it, it could have been definetly made better.

The music also seemed totally out of place like product placement, inserted to appeal to the masses and reminded me of the other romanian movies that have come out lately that are clearly made for profit and no one wanted thought about making a good movie, but making a good profit.

I'm not talking about the actors' talent. I'm referring to the camera operator and the director of photography, who created truly exceptional shots in a film that I consider mediocre.

The film aims to be a parody, blending different eras, but it fails due to its forced language and weak acting. I know Romania and the decline of its educational institutions, and this lack of culture is reflected in the film - through its dialogue, music, and behavior.

Yes, it is a parody, but a poorly executed one, with lines that try to sound sophisticated at times but are rather delivered than truly acted. A film that wants to be a comedy but, in reality, mirrors the cultural decline of the country that produced it.

Although I like Mihai Bendeac and admire his work and talent, I was disappointed by this film, barely resisting until the end.

My expectations were probably too high, regarding Bendeac's ability to direct an original film with a very good script.

Mediocre jokes, the script was non-existent, there were elements that had no point (manele, telephones..), the characters were extremely caricatured, sometimes giving the impression that I was watching cartoons.

Even though I know the actors from the theater, and they are very talented, in this film their talent was masked by the interpretation of these crude characters.

Some viewers left the theater in the first 10-15 minutes.