4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days

Anamaria Marinca (left) stars in this riveting drama

4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days (2007)
Dir. Cristian Mungiu
Starring: Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu, Vlad Ivanov
Grade: A

This harrowing masterpiece is one of the greatest films I have ever seen. The film, written and directed by Cristian Mungiu, and winner of last year’s Palm D’Or at Cannes, is set in 1980s Romania, against the backdrop of Nicolae Ceausescu’s totalitarian government and stifling policies (notably, his name is never once uttered in the film). Otilia (Marinca), a young student agrees to help her soft-spoken, less assertive roommate Gabita (Vasiliu) to obtain an abortion – a crime under Ceausescu’s regime. Theirs is a friendship that evokes a mother/daughter relationship, with the more assured Otilia taking over for the weaker Gabita. The film takes place during the day of the planned abortion, and we follow Otilia, who takes care of every possible detail, finding an obstacle at each step – many due to Gabita’s gullibility.

The film runs a brisk but gut-wrenching 113 minutes, and features extremely well written characters. Vasiliu’s Gabita is in turns heart-breaking and maddening – even when she makes illogical decisions that detrimentally affect Otilia, the sheer fear and terror she projects makes one understand why Otilia would go to such lengths to help her. Ivanov as Mr. Bebe, the man the women choose to perform the abortion, is as frightening a presence in this film as any monster or alien in a horror film. He is devious and dangerous, thriving on (and abusing) the power his gender and position afford him. Marinca’s interpretation, in particular, is spectacular. She is a whirlwind of emotions, but never oversells or judges her character’s motivations, she simply is. It is an unforgettable, astonishingly astute performance.

Mungiu’s direction and writing are steady – there is not one superfluous shot or line of dialogue in this film. It is an intimate film whether a scene is set at a lively dinner table or a dinky hotel room. On the basis of this one film I’m prepared to say that Mungiu is one of the best, most interesting directors working today and I cannot wait to see his future projects.