Disappointed that you couldn't get into the screening of Pedro Almodovar's "Broken Embraces"? Don't be: I've got a recommendation for an even better movie!
Romania has produced some notable movies in the last few years: "12:08 East of Bucharest", "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu", and the terrific Palme d'Or winner "4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days" all achieved success internationally. And now, Corneliu Porumboiu (who also directed "12:08...") adds a terrific movie to this list: "Police, Adjective."
The title "Police, Adjective" is one of my favorite titles of the year: it manages to be both unusual and completely descriptive of the movie itself, since it's about a police investigation and the importance and precision of language. The plot of the movie follows a drug investigation; it's not, however, a typical police procedural. Shot in long, unbroken takes, the movie really gets you into the mindset of the policeman as he follows, watches, waits, gathers evidence.
The movie also features scenes of great conversation about language that are so precise they are practically Tarantinian. How does he take his observations and convert them into something that can be used to press charges? The movie is set in Romania, but it definitely has application to our legal system as well. The movie also raises - and doesn't necessarily answer - many questions about the nature of law (is it better to follow the letter of the law, or the spirit?) that should lead to many interesting conversations after the movie.
Side note: I also want to add my voice to the recommendations for "Revanche" (Adele comments here; Jason comments here), a stunner of a movie from Austria. Catch its encore screening this afternoon at 5:00 at the Globe.
"Police Adjective" screens tonight at 9:15, at the Globe. Don't miss it!
