4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007)
Gabriela and Otila are college friends in 1980s Romania -- and, boy, is "Gabita" lucky to have a friend like Otila. Under the Ceausescu regime, when both abortion and contraception have been made illegal in an attempt to increase the population, Gabita is pregnant.
Otila has agreed to help her friend through an abortion, which Gabriela has supposedly set-up. Instead, Otila finds herself scrambling to book a hotel, gather enough money, and appease the annoyed abortionist (who, to be fair, is risking his freedom), because Gabita is childlike dead weight -- all big eyes and fear when clear-headedness is necessary.
The film is unblinking. It doesn't feel in any way sensationalistic -- just very real. In one effective juxtaposition, Otila must leave the hotel to attend a family dinner with her boyfriend. To see her suffer through the inconsequential get-together while her mind is on the desperate circumstances in the hotel across town is just so right. And so hard to take.
Well worth seeing, but prepare for the emotional punch in the gut before pressing "play."
A
Otila has agreed to help her friend through an abortion, which Gabriela has supposedly set-up. Instead, Otila finds herself scrambling to book a hotel, gather enough money, and appease the annoyed abortionist (who, to be fair, is risking his freedom), because Gabita is childlike dead weight -- all big eyes and fear when clear-headedness is necessary.
The film is unblinking. It doesn't feel in any way sensationalistic -- just very real. In one effective juxtaposition, Otila must leave the hotel to attend a family dinner with her boyfriend. To see her suffer through the inconsequential get-together while her mind is on the desperate circumstances in the hotel across town is just so right. And so hard to take.
Well worth seeing, but prepare for the emotional punch in the gut before pressing "play."
A
posted by MeMe | 1:28 AM
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