
Silviu, a young man who has spent years in a youth penitentiary, is granted release. Before he can leave, his mother returns to Romania to bring his little brother to Italy with her, despite Silviu's objections. He meets a young woman, Ana, who is working on a research project in the prison, and becomes interested in her. In his desperation Silviu resorts to violence, and Ana becomes his hostage.... (Full plot summary below)
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Silviu, a young man who has spent years in a youth penitentiary, is granted release. Before he can leave, his mother returns to Romania to bring his little brother to Italy with her, despite Silviu's objections. He meets a young woman, Ana, who is working on a research project in the prison, and becomes interested in her. In his desperation Silviu resorts to violence, and Ana becomes his hostage.
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| Film-Forward.comNora Lee MandelTitle phrase. . . is never said, but is powerfully visual [in] Pistereanu's blisteringly charismatic performance as he shifts from menacing violence to solicitous and caring. |
| ComingSoon.netEdward DouglasA fine debut that provides another piece to the enigmatic puzzle that is Romanian cinema. |
| Slant MagazineJesse CataldoA distressing portrayal of how basically good people can be affected by adverse circumstances. |
| Critic's NotebookRobert LevinThe film offers a paired-down, intense character-driven experience that propels its viewer into the suffocating world of life in juvenile detention. |
| What CultureShaun MunroBare-bones technical chops allow two outstanding young actors to hog the limelight in this nail-biting Romanian thriller-drama. |
| Total FilmTom DawsonPistereanu mines a fine, compelling blend of menace and innocence. |
| NYC Movie GuruAvi OfferA well-acted albeit dull prison drama that's often tedious before it kicks into thriller mode too late in game. |
| CineVueDaniel GreenIf I Want to Whistle, I Whistle makes its presence felt -- albeit with a whisper, rather than a shout. |
| GuardianMike McCahillNot for the first time, a Romanian film shows us an individual floundering within a system from which there can be no easy escape. |
| Observer (UK)Philip FrenchThe tone, though not the style, brings to mind The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. |