Code Unknown

 

Written and directed by Michael Haneke, Code inconnu: Recit incomplete de divers voyages (Code Unknown) is a film set in Paris where a minor incident in the city street play into lives of various characters who are all connected to this event. The film is a study of life in Paris as it is presented almost entirely in single-take vignettes as it focuses on various individuals in the city. Starring Juliette Binoche, Thierry Neuvick, Sepp Bierbichler, Alexandre Hamidi, Maimouna Helene Diarra, Ona Lu Yenke, Djibril Kouyate, Guessi Diakite-Goumdo, Luminita Gheoghiu, Crenguta Hariton Stoica, Bob Nicolescu, and Nathalie Richard. Code inconnu: Recit incomplete de divers voyages is a riveting yet discomforting film from Michael Haneke.

The film is essentially a series of vignettes based on characters who were involved in a scuffle that lead to the deportation of a Romanian immigrant, the arrest of a black man, and trouble for a young man along with those connected to those people deal with their lives as well as this growing sense of disconnect, miscommunication, lack of communication, and an ever-changing world before the turn of the Millennium. It is a film that doesn’t play by the rules as it opens and ends with deaf kids communicating with each other where the first scene has kids trying to answer what a young girl is trying to say through French sign language. The film’s screenplay is largely fragmented into vignettes as it play into various characters dealing with their lives as well as the aftermath of this small incident. Among them is the actress Anne Laurent (Juliette Binoche) who runs into her boyfriend’s son Jean (Alexandre Hamidi) who is going through some issues and walks back in anger as he unknowingly threw a piece of garbage at this homeless woman in Maria (Luminata Gheoghiu) as he is confronted by young Malian man in Amadou (Ona Lu Yenke) as the two get into a fight that is seen by many including Anne.

The fight would have Amadou endure shame and family issues forcing his father (Djibril Kouyate) to try and settle things while also his mother Aminate (Maimouna Helene Diarra) is convinced that her family is cursed. Maria would be deported back to Romania as she reconnects with her family but is puzzled by not just changes around her old home but also this desire to return to Paris unaware that there’s more trouble laying ahead. For Anne, her life with her photographer boyfriend Georges (Thierry Neuvic) becomes tumultuous due to his absences and not being there for Jean as he sent him to his father (Josef “Sepp” Bierbichler) who is an aging farmer that is having a hard time connecting with his grandson. The script doesn’t just explore a world where these characters are struggling with many issues but also this sense of change that would be the catalyst for what would happen to Europe in the 21st Century.

Haneke’s direction is largely unconventional in terms of his approach to shooting each vignette with a lot of it revolving around uninterrupted long shots to play into everything that is happening at a location or in a room. Shot largely on location in Paris as well as areas outside of Paris plus Romania and Mali, Haneke presents a world that is becoming increasingly modern in not just its setting but also in social attitudes and such where Anne lives in a posh apartment with Georges though the farm that his father owns is completely removed from modern conventions despite a few things he owns such as a tractor. Haneke’s visual approach largely consists of medium and wide-medium shots to play into characters at a certain location where as close-ups and wide shots are rarely used in the film other than the opening and closing scenes in the film involving the deaf children. The direction also emphasizes on these moments that do play on as if it is set in real-time whether it is Maria in Romania reconnecting with locals as some are planning to leave the country due to political and social instability or Amadou dealing with the chaos in his home as his father asks Amadou’s younger brother about what happened to him in school.

In the latter, Haneke is just focusing on them while there’s chatter in the background with Amadou’s mother constantly interfering as she is trying to get her word as it play into not just her lack of rationality but her own ideas of superstitions becoming disconnected with reality considering that there is an element of racism involved in what Amadou’s brother is dealing with. The usage of long shots are also in simple moments such as Georges talking to his father about Jean as well as a discomforting moment at a metro where Anne is harassed by an Arab while an elderly Arab watches in disgust. It is a moment that showcases the chaos of modern attitudes but also the fact that modern attitudes don’t last as there is always some act of kindness that occur no matter how different people are whether in social classes or in ethnic backgrounds. Overall, Haneke crafts an evocative yet confrontational film about people’s lack of communication with one another in pre-Millennium Europe.

Cinematographer Jurgen Jurges does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography in its approach to realism as it emphasizes less on style but rather capture something at the moment while also showcasing scenes in the film that Anne is making to be more stylized in its look. Editors Karin Hartusch, Nadine Muse, and Andreas Prochaska do excellent work with the editing as it has some rhythmic cuts for a few vignettes in the opening and closing scenes as well as a few bits such as Georges’ slideshow of what he captured at Kosovo. Production designer Emmanuel de Chauvigny and set decorator Laurence Vendroux do amazing work with the look of the apartment that Anne lives in along with messier apartment that Georges live in that is a sharp contrast to the more cramped and poorer homes that Maria and Amadou and his family live in. Costume designer Francoise Clavel does nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward with a lot of loose clothing from Anne that she is wearing as it play into the idea that she might be pregnant during a conversation with Georges at a supermarket (though Binoche was pregnant during filming).

The sound work of Jean-Pierre Laforce and Guillaume Sciama is superb in capturing many of the natural elements on location including the drumline rehearsals as it help maintain an air of realism into the film. The film’s music by Giba Goncalves is wonderful as it is mainly a drumline piece that only appears in two segments with one being a rehearsal and the other being the main performance as the music would appear in a couple of vignettes towards the end as it play into some of the dramatic chaos.

The casting by Kris Portier de Bellair is fantastic from Andree` Tansy as an elderly neighbor of Georges, Florence Loiret as Amadou’s date at a restaurant that Anne and Georges were eating at, Nathalie Richard and Arsinee Khanjian as a couple of friends Anne eats with at that dinner, Aissa Maiga as Amadou’s sister, Marc Duret as the policeman in the main fight, Walide Afkir as a young Arab who harasses Anne at the metro, Maurice Benichou as the old Arab who defends Anne, Didier Flamand as a film director on the film Anne is working with, and Bruno Todeschini as Anne’s co-star in the film she is working on. The performances of Bob Nicolescu as Dragos and Crenguta Hariton Stoica as Irina are terrific as a couple of Romanians that Maria knows as the former wants to help her get back to France while the other is a relative who is getting married and thinks Maris is making a mistake in trying to go back to France. Guessi Diakite-Goumdo is fantastic as Amadou’s younger yet deaf sister who is seen in the film’s opening sequence and as part of the drumline.

Djibril Kouyate and Maimouna Helene Diarra are superb in their respective roles as Amadou’s parents with the former being a rational cab driver trying to deal with all of the chaos in his life while the latter is someone who believes in superstitions and such as she becomes disconnected with the modern world. Luminita Gheoghiu is excellent as Maria as a Romanian immigrant who hoped to sell newspapers in France unaware that no one does that anymore as she gets deported only to try and return as it plays into someone who is just wanting to make money but is completely disconnected with modern-day society. Ona Lu Yenke is brilliant as Amadou as a young Malian man who witnessed Jean throwing a piece of trash at Maria as he confronts him only to get himself in trouble as he deals with not just prejudice towards him but also the fact that he’s at fault for being nosy and also a bit arrogant about the ways of the world.

Alexandre Hamidi is amazing as Jean as Georges’ son who has anger issues as he is sent to his grandfather’s farm where he finds himself not enjoying life there as he strives to be part of the modern world. Josef “Sepp” Bierbichler is incredible as Georges’ father as a farmer who struggles to make Jean feel comfortable as he also deals with changing times as he plays a man disconnected with modern society and has no answers in how to catch up. Thierry Neuvic is remarkable as Georges as a photojournalist who is often caught up in his own work as he also tries to make an artistic voice for himself as he would neglect Anne and his own son. Finally, there’s Juliette Binoche in a phenomenal performance as Anne Laurent as an actress who is dealing with working but also the chaos in her boyfriend’s family life as she does what she can to be supportive while also dealing with chaos in her own life and the attitudes of those who treat her terribly.

Code inconnu: Recit incomplete de divers voyages is a sensational film from Michael Haneke. Featuring a great cast, a straightforward yet unconventional visual approach and its study of modern society and the lack of communication from people in that world. It is a film that doesn’t play by the rules due to its unconventional and fragmented style yet it does explore a world that is coming undone by modernist ideals that would later wreak havoc on Europe in the 21st Century. In the end, Code inconnu: Recit incomplete de divers voyages is a phenomenal film from Michael Haneke.

Michael Haneke Films: (The Seventh Continent) – (Benny’s Video) – (71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance) – (The Castle (1997 TV film)) - Funny Games (1997 film) - The Piano Teacher - (Time of the Wolf) – Cache` - Funny Games (2007 film) - The White Ribbon - Amour (2012 film) - Happy End

© thevoid99 2022

The Death of Mr. Lazarescu

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 5/13/09 w/ Additional Edits.

Directed by Cristi Puiu with a script he co-wrote with Razvan Radulescu, Moartea domnului Lazarescu (The Death of Mr. Lazarescu) tells the story of an old, cranky engineer who becomes ill as he calls for an ambulance. Instead, he goes on a series of adventures as he's being neglected by doctors and being moved from one hospital to another. A commentary on the medical system and its treatment of patients, the film is a dark yet comical view on the system itself. Starring Ion Fiscuteanu and Luminita Gheorghiu. Moartea domnului Lazarescu is a eerie yet entrancing film from Cristi Puiu.

Dante Remus Lazarescu (Ion Fiscuteanu) is feeling ill. Complaining of stomach problems relating to an ulcer surgery some years ago as well as a headache. He calls for an ambulance for help as he waits and waits. While drinking some alcohol to calm him, he lives alone with his 3 cats while his wife had died 8 years ago and his daughter is now married and living in Toronto. After throwing up, he goes to his neighbors for help but his health deteriorates as he tries to take some pills while is throwing up blood. After several calls, a nurse named Mioara (Luminita Gheorghiu) arrives to check on his condition. Realizing the seriousness of his condition that he might have colon cancer, she asks the neighbor's wife to call his older sister to come in to Bucharest the next day.

After arriving into the hospital, he is checked upon but he and the nurse receive harsh criticism from the doctor over his drinking and convinced that his problem is nothing of concern. Yet, the doctor does suggest that he should go to another hospital for CT scan to check on his liver. Mioara and her drive Leo (Gabriel Spahieu) accompany to the University hospital where at first, they're asked to go another hospital due to an overcrowding relating to a horrific bus crash accident that the previous hospital is dealing with. Yet, they're taken in as a young doctor checks on Lazarescu as well as older, bearded one named Dragos who sees that something is indeed wrong. Yet, Dragos suggests that he should go to another place while he does feel that a CT scan should be immediately but the wait might be longer. During the CT scan, a friend of Mioara in Mariana helps Lazarescu during the scan while a young doctor reveals some grim news.

Going to a third hospital, Lazarescu and Mioara arrive to a young group of doctors but the reception they receive is harsh. Though they reveal some news about Lazarescu, an attempt to have him sign a disclaimer didn't work as Lazarescu can barely speak coherently while his condition rapidly deteriorates. After being shunned at the third hospital, they go to one last hospital where Mr. Lazarescu will receive treatment in what is a hell of a night for him.

If the day of birth has to be overwhelming on the person, that can't be compared to the final moments of your life in the same situation that Dante Remus Lazarescu had to go through. On the course of an entire night, Lazarescu goes through a moment that he won't forget as he lays there dying. Throughout the journey, he's treated and then moved from one hospital to another where he finds his health deteriorate to the point that he can barely talk or move. He's relieving himself countless times, he stinks, his breath is filled with booze, and he's still cranky. The one person that's with him throughout this entire journey is a paramedic, who has worked in the system for years. While she isn't a doctor, she's seen enough to know what's going on. At times, she is asked for her opinions with professionalism but other times, is treated with contempt because she's inferior to them.

Cristi Puiu creates a drama that is engrossing in these final hours that are told in a two-and-a-half hour film. Yet, it's length and pacing creates a test of sorts for the audience where not everyone will enjoy its pacing or length. Puiu's approach into staging the drama with little cuts in order to examine all of the chaos that goes on in the medical room is deliberate. Especially since it all takes place on an entire night. The directing style is all hand-held, verite style that captures all that is going on without any kind of false drama while the humor is subtle yet cynical to reveal the fate of its protagonist. Despite some issues with its length and pacing, Puiu creates a film that is truly mesmerizing yet harrowing.

Cinematographers Oleg Mutu and Andrei Butica do excellent work with the grainy, hand-held style that keeps things moving while capturing all the drama. For the scenes in Lazarescu's apartment, it's all low-lit with little colors along with the scenes inside the ambulance. At the hospitals, it's all bright to play up to its mood and chaotic feel with Butica being the camera operator with the hand-held work being mostly steady but often moves in its dramatic tone. Editor Dana Bunescu does some very good work with the film's cutting in order to give the film a rhythmic feel with jump-cuts. Yet, its length and pacing could've been helped if the scenes with long takes could've had more cuts to keep the rhythm flowing.

Production/costume designer Cristina Barbu does some fine work with the dirty look of Lazarescu's apartment with the place a mess as it's filled with cats and such. The costumes meanwhile, have this grungy look that plays well to the cranky personality of Lazarescu. Sound editor Constantin Fleancu does very good work with the sound to capture all of the chaos that goes on at the hospital. The film's soundtrack doesn't feature music at all throughout the film except in the opening and closing credits, two songs performed by Margareta Paslaru.

The casting by Ana Szel is excellent with its array of small, memorable performances Doru Ana and Dana Dogaru as Lazarescu's neighbors, Florin Zamfirescu as the first doctor at the hospital, Adrian Titeni as the second doctor named Dragos, Mihai Bratila as the CT scan doctor, Mimi Branescu as the third female doctor, and Monica Barladeanu as Mioara's friend Mariana. Gabriel Spahieu is really good as Leo, the driver who accompanies Lazarescu and Mioara throughout the entire film as he is amazed by this journey while revealing he's divorced with a two-year old daughter. Luminita Gheorghiu is great as Mioara, the paramedic who accompanies Lazarescu throughout this journey as she tries to get him help despite his crankiness and troubled behavior. Finally, there's Ion Fiscuteanu in a brilliant performance as Dante Remus Lazarescu. The protagonist who is dealing with a surgery, the death of his wife, and alcoholism as his health is now troubling to the point that he can't deal with anything. It's a great performance for an actor who has to be able to pull something with kind of physicality to show a man be near death.

While it's not a perfect film due to its length, pacing, and some subtitles that are in white which at times, are hard to read. Moartea domnului Lazarescu is an excellent film from Cristi Puiu featuring phenomenal performances from Ion Fiscuteanu and Luminita Gheorghiu. While it's a film that does take a very harrowing view on the Romanian medical system, it's a film that is engrossing in its journey and how a man has to deal with all that is going. Despite its imperfections, Moartea domnului Lazarescu is still a film worth checking out for its drama and stripped-down cinematic style from Cristi Puiu.

(C) thevoid99 2011

4 Months, 3 Weeks, & 2 Days

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 5/14/09 w/ Additional Edits.

Written and directed by Cristian Mungiu, 4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile tells the story of two college students in 1987 Romanian in the final days of Nicolae Ceausescu era trying to arrange an abortion, which was illegal at the time. With the help of a doctor, they hope for things to go right but instead, the two women learn about the consequences and sacrifices they have to go through. A harrowing drama with some political insight about the times of Communist Romania, it's a film that is truly eerie about the dark world and how two women struggle to live in those harsh times. Starring Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu, Vlad Ivanov, Adi Carauleanu, and Luminita Gheorghiu. 4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile is a harrowing yet mesmerizing masterpiece from Cristian Mungiu.

Two young women are living in a dorm at a university in Bucharest as they're packing things for a trip. Otilia Mihartescu (Anamaria Marinca) is trying to get things for her roommate Gabriela "Gabita" Dragut (Laura Vasiliu). Otilia goes to various rooms in her dorm floor for things as she later leaves to meet with her boyfriend Adi (Alexandru Protocean). Adi asks Otilia to attend a family dinner to celebrate his mother's birthday as Otilia isn't sure as she's asking for some money. She reluctantly agrees though isn't sure when she's coming. Later that day, she goes to a hotel to get a room Gabita had made reservations but it didn't go through. After getting a room at another hotel and at an expensive rate, Otilia calls Gabita, who is feeling ill at the moment to meet a mysterious man at a rendezvous point.

The man is Mr. Bebe (Vlad Ivanov) who talks to Otilia about what to do as he's supposed to meet Gabita. Otilia revealed what has happened as Gabita had messed things up for the meeting. Later revealing that she's four months pregnant instead of three, Gabita is desperate for the abortion as Mr. Bebe makes some news about what he must do and such while both women are short on money. Bebe reveals the warning of an illegal abortion which means he could spend 10 years in jail while the two women would also be in trouble. Otilia decides to make Bebe an offer he couldn't refuse but as temporary payment. During the abortion, Bebe gives them a warning about what to do with the fetus. After his departure, Otilia decides to leave to attend dinner at Adi's as she is furious at Gabita for her lies.

At the dinner party, Otilia meets Adi's parents and some friends where she meets all of them but sits in silence. Worried about Gabita, she tells Adi privately about what's going on as she heard a phone call earlier as she wonders what is happening. After leaving the party early, she returns to the hotel as she ponders all that had just happened.

The film is essentially a thriller of sorts but not a conventional thriller with lots of chills and suspense. Instead, it all takes place on an entire day from the perspective of the person who is helping her friend have this abortion. Considering the political climate of the time where abortion was illegal, it shows the consequences of what would happen. Writer-director Cristian Mungiu creates a drama that is chilling though the suspense doesn't come until the second and third act. He sets it up without giving the audience an idea of what's going on until later. Instead, he follows Otilia in her journey to get some money, meet her boyfriend, and then have a rendezvous with Mr. Bebe. What transpires is a series of events in which Otilia learns about the lies that Gabita made just to get the abortion while listening to things Mr. Bebe had to say.

Mr. Bebe might seem like a villainous character but instead, he's a man that is just doing a duty but gives warnings about what could happen as well as some consequences if things go wrong. What they had to do for him as payment is something neither women would think would happen it's the harsh realities they have to face. For Otilia, it's a disillusioning moment for her as what Mr. Bebe says, there's a price to be paid. The price is that of the friendship of Otilia and Gabita, the latter of whom is naive, timid, and at times, dishonest. When Otilia later tells her boyfriend Adi about what happened. He reveals his feelings for abortion as it puts a strain on their relationship forcing Otilia to do things that would change her life, even in the decision about what happens in this event.

Mungiu's direction is entrancing with its mostly hand-held work and still shots to convey the sense of drama and suspense that is unfolding. The hand-held work is slightly shaky in scenes to follow Otilia in her dorm and such while in some scenes, it's very still. There's shots that are long but it's always because Mungiu is being very attentive to what is happening. Even in a conversation piece as it's focused on a character while the voice of another is heard. By the third act, there's a moment of suspense where something could go wrong as the camera continues to follow Otilia in this traumatic journey with a scene that is too disgusting to watch as Mungiu doesn't shy away on what is shown. The reaction of course, would be of disgust but works for its drama. The overall work of what Mungiu does is truly superb in both the writing, direction, and presentation of the story.

Cinematographer Oleg Mutu brings a tinted yet saturated look to the film in many of the bright, day-time exterior and interior scenes. Even in some darkly-lit scenes, there's an intimacy to the camera but also something that is rough but not grainy. There's even scenes with very little light, it doesn't have the kind of Hollywood polish or over-lit cinematography style as Mutu's work is phenomenal. Editor Dana Bunescu does great work in the use of jump-cuts and smooth transitions to give the film a rhythmic feel in the editing. Even as she lets the scene play out and knowing when not to cut except for some kind of emotional, dramatic impact as the editing is done superbly. Production designer Mihaela Poenaru does a fantastic job with the look of the hotel room that the girls stay in which is dark and drab along with the lobby outside of the room. Even the look of the home of Adi's parents have a richness that is sharp contrast to the harsh world that everyone else is going through.

Costume designer Dana Istrate does fantastic work with the clothing choices for the cast from the green and blue shirts that Otilia wears to the simple, brown-like clothing that Gabita wears to contrast their personalities and such. Also serving as a sound editor, Dana Bunescu along with Constantin Fleancu and recordist Cristian Tarnovetchi, the sound is phenomenal, notably in the third act to create a level of chilling sounds and such for its suspense. The film has no music score throughout the film except a song at the final credits by a Romanian singer.

The casting by Catalin Dordea is superb with its array of actors including Adi Carauleanu as Adi's father and from Moartea domnului Lazarescu, Luminita Gheorghiu as Adi's mother. In the role of Adi, Alexandru Potocean is excellent as Otilia's boyfriend who is concerned about Otilia's behavior only to realize what is happening though his feelings towards abortion seems to get the best of him. Vlad Ivanov is great as Mr. Bebe, the abortionist who seems mean only to warn the two women about the implication of what could happen as well as how much trouble both could be. Ivanov has this eerie presence where he could do things to them that are troubling as it's a great role from the actor.

Laura Vasiliu is very good as Gabita, the young woman seeking an abortion to naively believe that to lie about things would go smoothly. Instead, her lies, timid behavior, and lack of intelligence gets her into some serious trouble with Otilia and Mr. Bebe as it's a harrowing performance from Vasiliu. The film's best performance easily goes to Anamaria Marinca as Otilia. Marinca's performance is truly entrancing as we see her character handle everything while struggling with all that is going on with her and Gabita. It's definitely one of the best performances that was unjustly overlooked in many critics circle as well as a breakthrough for the Romanian actress.

4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile is a harrowing yet provocative masterpiece from Cristian Mungiu featuring a superb, powerful performance from Anamaria Marinca. Audiences new to the Romanian New Wave will see this film as the best place to start. It's a film that is truly an unconventional thriller that pushes the edge of its constraints while adding a dose of realism and political surroundings to the story. It's not an easy film to watch and certainly one that will challenge anyone's beliefs about the idea of abortion. In the end, 4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile is a mesmerizing yet eerie masterpiece from Cristian Mungiu.

(C) thevoid99 2011