Movie Review:Best Intentions(2011)

Director:Adrian Sitaru

Writer:Adrian Sitaru

Cast:
Bogdan Dumitrache->Alex
Natasa Raab->Mother
Marian Ralea->Father
Alina Grigore->Delia

SPOILERS AHEAD

Best Intentions is a film directed by Adrian Sitaru,director of such films as Hooked(2008),Waves(2007),Lord(2009) and The Cage(2010),which follows four days from Alex's life,which takes a strange turn,when his mother is put into a hospital,because of a cerebral stroke.

One of the main pillars of the movie is the main idea of the director.At one point,the main character,Alex,talks about some sort of tranzitive disease,which he suspects his mother has.This is the main line,the movie roots for.Alex,yearning to help his mother,fills himself with so much negative energy,that in the end,he becomes even more damaged than his mother,who is finally cured.

The second main pillar of the film,is Dumitrache's performance.He gives such a phenomenal performance(a rare thing for Romanian cinema,seeing that in the past year,no performance,has impressed me in such a manner),it even is comparable to Tilda Swinton's performance in We Need To Talk About Kevin(2011),another film about a family member which struggles with her family's difficulties(Review here:http://moviereviewsbymarcsolomon.blogspot.com/2011/09/movie-reviewwe-need-to-talk-about.html).It's very interesting to compare the two.Even though,the characters have almost nothing in common,the acting does.They are both capable to make their characters a puzzle,just assembling it,showing all their character's sides,alone,without trying to get help from the director.

Another fantastic thing about the film,is the variety of characters and the director's capability to conjure them all,in such a way,that every character gets his unique moment.The easily neurotic son,the happy-go-lucky sick mother,the father which is apparently very restrained,the girlfriend which tries to comfort the son and ultimately,sort of,succeeds,the female character resembling Frank from Donnie Darko(2001),the crazy woman which is strongly convinced that she is cured and a lot more characters.

A surprisingly innovative thing,which is the film's main gimmick,is the POV way of filming.A lot of people are not satisfied with this,because of the constant movement and that upsets.I think that this is a very good thing for a drama.It gives it more humanity.It makes it more natural and even,more special.

Best Intentions is a very well-made drama,with great performances,cinematography and directing,which will make you take a hard look at your own life after the film.

FINAL GRADE:10 OUT OF 10