Niki and Flo

I wasn't prepared to see this movie, I switched the TV on, zapped around, and stopped, because the few seconds I looked at without knowing what's all about, where and when it plays were enough to fascinate. A slow, very calm camera, a half absurd, but totally natural conversation with actors being as real as real life is. First after the movie ended I found out what its name was, so I came to see if I find any information here. Well, it wasn't much.

In my opinion this movie deserves a 9 from an international viewer, but a clean 10 from somebody who knows Romania. Fantastic director (Lucian Pintilie is well known on the European cinematic scene), fantastic - despite its simplicity and linearity - script, professionally developing plot, great actors - and I really mean great, on best international level - and a very fine, sensible psychological and sociological study.

I am deeply moved and still - after many hours - enthusiastic. The movie deserves standing ovations.

Incredible movie! To me it seems very much like a Japanese garden; a garden which is said to be complete not when there is nothing to put in it, but when there is nothing to take out of it.

Here everything that does not completely follow the sense of the movie is eliminated. It leaves it in a pure state, not one overwhelming the viewer with symbols, but in a state that naturally gets us in the middle of the action. An action that puts us in the middle of a tedious life, marked by tragic events. An action that shows how insignificant life can be.

This movie seems very modest at first but for those who have eyes to see behind the "nothing" in front they will find a masterpiece!

The story is very well written, but the director is even better!

Pintilie is the best Romanian director movie today.

Some may be scared by the truth they will find in this movie, like in all great art.

Many expect from movies just "entertainment".

They have no clue what art and truth are all about.

It is not just for Romanians, anybody can understand it.

The acting is superb!

I strongly recommend it to those who enjoy Quentin Tarantino.

"Nicky Ardelean - retired colonel" is perhaps one of the best movies that Pintilie had ever made. He brilliantly succeeds to dissect the Romanian realities with a pinching and malicious sense of humor. Perhaps not an easy movie, coming from an uneasy director, but a must see for movie lovers.

You haft to be an east-European man to understand this movie, it's about the simple life of a family living in a block. The movie has particularly no action, just simple facts and small details that brings a smile on your face if you understand them. Lucian Pintilie has done some great movies (ex. Balanta) but this is not the greatest.

The small budget of this movie makes it what it is, a Romanian film. The Romanian film lovers probably you will like this movie.

Niki is an old colonel of army, it's a man who had love only for the army, his daughter and his son in-law haft to go in U.S.A. to earn more money. Flo is the father of Andrei the son in law of Niki, let's say that he is the negative person in this movie, you will find him very unlike. If you want to know more you haft to see the movie.