[yasr_overall_rating]
A film about compromises and the implications of the parent’s role.
It’s not easy to be Romanian – at least, according to Christian Mingu’s cinematic oeuvre of depressing socio-political commentaries. “Occident” told a complex story of youth fleeing the country. “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” followed a woman, step-by-step, through a grueling abortion in the 1980s. I haven’t had the “pleasure” of watching Mingu’s “Beyond the Hills,” but “Graduation,” again, subjected me to a 130 claustrophobic, despairing minutes of corruption and heartlessness, before I got to the glimmer of hope at the very end.
Reminiscent in style to the Dardenne brothers’ films (who act as co-producers on “Graduation”), the film’s focus is on everyday men and women, struggling to survive in a bleak, heartless world. Traces of Hollywood “gloss” – rapid-fire editing, spelled-out themes, predictable narrative beats, swooping camerawork, Jennifer Lawrence – are nowhere to be found in this exercise of ultra-realism. There’s no score, no embellishments – just a straight-up account of a man, somewhat ironically called Romeo (a brilliantly restrained performance by a desperate, bordering-on-reprehensible Adrian Titieni) battling uphill against a corrupt society, and himself.
While a bit dry, and lacking the Dardennes’ spiritually-cleansing conclusions, ”Graduation” is a worthy addition to the talented director’s filmography, whose next film should perhaps shift its lens on a different topic. Though he manages to convey a multitude of ideas and themes through that prism of contemporary Romania, I would love to see the director try his hand at another genre. Unless, of course, he has found his niche – the multiple Palm d’Or awards on his shelf speak for themselves, after all.
Romeo is a morally-torn man. His wife, Magda (Lia Bugnar), is depressed, homebound, and aware of Romeo’s affair with Sandra (Malina Manovici), a teacher at their daughter’s school. His daughter, Eliza (Maria Dragus), gets attacked and potentially raped. Romeo’s primary goal, however, is to make sure Eliza graduates with honors and gets a scholarship in the “more civilized” UK – her (and, vicariously, his) golden ticket out of the hellhole that is Romania. Unable to escape himself, finding temporary solace in infidelity, he fervently pursues this goal, at the expense of disregarding everyone’s actual needs. “My daughter wasn’t raped, just assaulted,” he hesitantly corrects his reassuring neighbor. In denial much?
Romeo projects his insecurities and desires onto his loved ones, believing he will ultimately find redemption when his daughter flees to greener pastures. He keeps reiterating to poor Eliza that a top score on the exam is top priority, even when she cries at night, traumatized from the incident. “You know if your heart hurts, this isn’t right,” Magda says. “That’s not the path I want her to take… Why this burden on her shoulders?” Romeo instills Eliza with fear and a need to please him, as opposed to finding herself – something most parents unknowingly do, in one way or another.
Perhaps not so surprisingly, it’s Romeo’s mother (Alexandra Davidescu), a symbol of Romania’s past, who provides the most acute insight regarding her granddaughter: “She should stay and change things. If they all leave…” She trails off. Romeo, who represents the country’s tumultuous, ever-changing present, can’t accept that fact. It may ultimately be up to Eliza – Romania’s future – to decide her own path. Mingu plays heavily with this generational juxtaposition, to great effect.
The city itself seems to be against Romeo. It all starts with a rock thrown through his window, and later through the windshield of his car. He runs over a dog. A complication leads to a school board confrontation, which in turn leads to bribes and a general defiance of principles. His mother collapses. Eliza finds out about Sandra, the other woman. A dying patient under investigation may prove to be the pivotal point. And the entire time, in the background, a phone rings incessantly, a nagging, invasive sound. “Why did we abolish the death sentence?” Romeo inquires solemnly. I have a feeling he would murder quite a few people, if he legally could, just so that Eliza could ace that baccalaureate.
Disregarding the soulless individuals and crumbled-down city, the country’s natural scenery actually looks stunning, courtesy of cinematographer Tudor Vladimir Panduru and, of course, the beautiful country itself. That said, the film is basked in 50 shades of gray, reflecting the moral areas its characters inhabit. Two scenes stood out to me: one involving a policeman, who found a way to deal with depression through… marbles, each representing a day in his life; and another, in which our stoic doctor breaks down sobbing uncontrollably in the woods.
A tad repetitive, and not nearly as razor-sharp, succinct, emotional and focused as “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days,” “Graduation” is nevertheless a beautifully-written, assuredly-directed (as acknowledged by Cannes), incisive critique of a corrupt society. It’s a study of parenthood, of a man driven to obsession, of a crumbling marriage and crumbling values. It’s filled with searing exchanges, subtlety that’s uncommon in contemporary film and powerful performances. Things may be tough today, but the future holds sparks of hope. Perhaps Mingu’s palette will broaden too. I’m glad that, after such a dismal education, this graduation may lead to a promising scholarship.
In select theaters Friday, April 7th
