:
Mircea Andreescu,
Mircea Andreescu,
Teo Corban,
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:
Corneliu Porumboiu,
Corneliu Porumboiu,
Alexandru Vitzentzatos
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: Not Rated
: Tartan Video
: Foreign, Political Satire
: 89 min.
: Romanian
: English, Spanish
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Gil-Scott Heron once wrote "the revolution will not be televised," but one Romanian newsman attempts to put his nation's revolution on the air after the fact in this satiric comedy from writer and director Corneliu Porumboiu. It's the sixteenth anniversary of the revolt that removed Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu from power in Romania, and Jderescu (Ion Sapdaru) is the host of a televised public affairs show who wants to do a special program on the revolution. Jderescu's idea is to bring on a handful of ordinary citizens to discuss their role in Ceausescu's overthrow and how their lives have changed since Communist rule was swept from Romania. However, Jderescu can only round up two guests for his broadcast -- elderly Piscoci (Mircea Andreescu), who's more interested in playing Santa Claus for the neighborhood kids than talking politics, and Manescu (Teo Corban), a schoolteacher nursing a brutal hangover. As Jderescu tries to lead a serious discussion of how Romania has changed since Ceausescu was driven from power, the conversation wanders off on a tangent about where the revolution actually took place, and the waters become even more muddied when Jderescu opens up the phone lines for questions from viewers, most of whom have their own distinct (and strongly conflicting) memories of the Revolution . . . and one of which has a bone to pick with Manescu over some drunken insults he hurled the night before. A Fost Sau n-a Fost? (aka 12:08 East of Bucharest) received its North American premier at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
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| Nostalgia for the "revolution"
by talltale
October 11, 2007 - 4:48 PM PDT
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0 out of 1 members found this review helpful
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| Romania, as it approaches nearly two decades after the ouster of the Communist regime, is the subject of 12:08 EAST OF BUCHAREST, and this is every bit as depressing as you might expect. But funny, too, as a small-town local TV host corals some walk-in guests for his show about the "revolution," and then takes calls from a not-particularly-convinced audience. Knowledge of Romania's recent history will help you enjoy this; some of us certainly remember those lovely Ceausescus who, pre-revolution, ran the country (into the ground). The first section of the film introduces us to the characters, while the second covers the TV show. "What is truth" gets its usual workout here, and the movie's most special scene is devoted to the show guest from whom nothing is expected (by the Romanians or us viewers) but who gives perhaps the only real "truth" in the entire movie and, for his trouble, is ignored. This is not a Romanian Chamber of Commerce tourist flick, for sure, though it did win some awards along its festival route last year and is certainly watchable--but nowhere near the level of humanity and "film smarts" demonstrated by last year's "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu." |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 7.00)
6 Votes
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