11.09.2008 kl. 07:31 Kilde: VG (Verdens Gang)

Successful maturation

Tricks

by Øystein David Johansen

Directed by: Andrzej Jakimowski
Cast: Damian Ul, Ewelina Walendziak

Tender and magical, Polish story of maturation.

Plot: Six-year-old Stefek lives in the squalid suburbs of Wrocław, spending his summer vacation at the local train station. His sister Elka dreams of a ‘decent’ job, learning Italian while washing up dishes in a restaurant. Both miss their father who abandoned the family long ago, but Stefek wants to bring him back by doing magic tricks.

EVALUATION: It takes a while to attune to the rhythm of the film, but – great heavens – how it involves thereafter. I haven’t seen so tender, subtle and magical a story about maturation for a long time. The subject of the movie – longing for the father – is treated poetically and without pathos. The director has enough opportunities to take a shortcut to reduce the audience to tears, however not even once yielding to this temptation. He relies on his own vision, which results in an exceptionally successful film story that will make you recollect how it feels to be a child – and begin to yearn for it. The use of color in the film is delicate and causes that the painfully sad town livens up so we can see it in the same way like the little dreamer, Stefek. The acting of the completely inexperienced kids cast in the main roles is impressive, the sound track cheers up pleasantly, enlivening the camerawork in addition. Although a few minor supporting characters are perhaps being brushed off, these are too small flaws in the beauty to be noticed. Therefore, I recommend this Polish summer in the provinces.

online version:
http://www1.vg.no/film/film.php?id=9269