GRADE: 10
A woman assists her friend in arranging an illegal abortion in 1980s Romania.
Director: Cristian Mungiu
Country of Origin: Romania | Belgium
THOUGHTS:
It’s hard to imagine a more perfectly conceived film than this one. This story of a woman assisting her friend with an illegal abortion in the dying days of communist Romania is so tense as to almost play like a thriller at times. To watch this movie is to feel like one is experiencing all the sorrow, anger, and fear that the protagonist is going through. It’s harrowing and enraging, ending on an exquisite note of immense sadness. Anamaria Marinca’s performance is tough, intelligent, and deeply moral, eliciting the viewer’s sympathy during every step of her day-long journey through hell. Exceptional.