DrDVine

To begin with: this is a very good movie. This is at least how I felt while watching it. It will satisfy you in multiple ways because it works on multiple layer. The one the was most present to me is the critical abstraction from everyday life in an occupied region. In conceptual an visual dense shots it deals with interpersonal communication under constant pressure. Later on the view is opened to the political dimension of interchange between the two (or one and a half) states. At the same time you will get emotionally involved with several person and there very own way of individual reception of the situation that eventually will lead to resistance. Interwoven with this is a symbolic discourse sometimes philosophic sometimes mere ironic, forcing the audience to think, to make there mind up on what they are seeing. This all is refined with a dark, omnipresent but deeply human humour. For me it worked.

9 out of 10 and a strong recommendation to see it for all those who love cinema that keeps one thinking.

in fact there is not much to say about this film. simple story: father looses children to custody, fights against state and church to get them back and in the end succeeds. You got the usual subplots, like children vs. nuns, lawyer vs. judge etc. This mixed up with some laughs, some tears, some values and some prayers. Altogether well acted, well produced. Shallow but solid. I guess you can see a lot worse in cinema, but of course you also can see a lot better.

I just voted for this movie and heavy hearted had to give a 5, because as a movie it's not better than that. But despite other 5 point movie I don't feel cheated or disappointed by having seen it. This is because there are many good things about it. Small thing like single scenes, shots, dialogs, images, symbolism, a face expression here, a sound there. This movie has potential. It tries to weave a huge picture by single scenes and pictures. Unfortunately it fails completely. The worst thing about the film is it's script, which features a quite uninspired story, with some holes and implausibilities, in rather unconnected scenes and impression, which mostly not fit together. Adding to this you got to many directing mistakes or at least that's what I think they are. Because at times the movie really starts to take you in, let you care about on character or the other and the comes a pointless or unbelievable scene, a dispensable shot and you get set back on the road. There I have to say again, this movie has failed, but being the first movie of Katherine Lindberg, it makes you hope, that the future work of this director might be something to look forward to.