HBO crime story, casted and filmed in Romania. A strong woman is fighting police traitors, and a young gay man caught in the middle of it all. The main character (played by Theodor Soptelea) is really trustworthy. if not for other reasons, you should definitely watch this mini-series just for his excellent performance.
11 Reviews
A good thriller with a message about homophobia
Mark_H_Smit16 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I really enjoyed this thriller. It was interesting to see one made in Romania. Unlike what some others wrote, with only a few cringeworthy moments I thought the acting overall was fine. I especially thought characters Filip and his foster mother were portrayed quite well.
Production values and music were fine too. The story gripped me for the full four episodes. Well done.
I don't usually write reviews with spoilers, but here I think it is necessary. So stop reading now if you don't want to know about the sad aspects of the gay story line.
I thought that the love story between the two boys was realistic. As were their struggles, considering this plays in an obviously homophobic country. The way that their parents and foster parents reacted broke my heart. As a man who has gone through similar heartbreak twice I can say that these parents (and the homophobic culture in countries like Romania) scar kids for life. The kind of damage that is done to LGBTI youth by treating them as deviants is huge.
Hopefully countries like Romania will throw off the primitive past over the coming decades like western countries did. The reminder of how things also used to be in western European countries was very painful to watch. Come on people. This is 2022 and life doesn't need to be this way. LGBTI kids deserve to have love in their lives just like anyone else.
Production values and music were fine too. The story gripped me for the full four episodes. Well done.
I don't usually write reviews with spoilers, but here I think it is necessary. So stop reading now if you don't want to know about the sad aspects of the gay story line.
I thought that the love story between the two boys was realistic. As were their struggles, considering this plays in an obviously homophobic country. The way that their parents and foster parents reacted broke my heart. As a man who has gone through similar heartbreak twice I can say that these parents (and the homophobic culture in countries like Romania) scar kids for life. The kind of damage that is done to LGBTI youth by treating them as deviants is huge.
Hopefully countries like Romania will throw off the primitive past over the coming decades like western countries did. The reminder of how things also used to be in western European countries was very painful to watch. Come on people. This is 2022 and life doesn't need to be this way. LGBTI kids deserve to have love in their lives just like anyone else.
a knockoff
lordlogicus13 November 2016
A movie produced by HBO, probable low budget, a 17 years old kid on the way to high school?:)), actors playing a cheap theater. Rodica Lazar is missing the reality, Emilian Oprea cheap and unnatural acting unnatural Otherwise SciFi forests,Brasov, gypsy and police. Worth a 1, with great indulgence! I'm wondering why "Umbre" did not continue, even if was as well a copy from an Australian series. About gay story, is something too much for us, I accept but seeing two kids probably is too much. I'm curious what's next? Who's giving more than 1-2 star for such crap, please let me know, probably I did not get the essence of this series. HBO is pushing too much with this cheap copy, just to test our intelligence :))
Gripping
Mort & Spunky the awesome cat30 January 2021
I can't believe that the reviewers before me (except one) saw the same production I did. Honestly, as it was concluding, I was amazed I'd enjoyed it as much as the very best crime thrillers I've seen from Britain, Scandinavia, Belgium, and elsewhere. I found it exhilarating.
It may not have been flawless, but I thought everything was above average to exceptional. The main actors were phenomenal (two secondary parts were a few beats off but not terrible). The photography and editing were great. The story was compelling for nearly the entire four hours. The third episode slightly faltered for me. In the end, that may have been best: I'm not sure I blinked during most of the fourth episode.
Perhaps other reviewers had seen this specific story done (like Professor T, another great one, it seems to be a popular remake) before. They walked into it with expectations that weren't met (too similar or dissimilar)? Don't let them dissuade you. If it's caught your interest, give it at least 20 minutes. I can't help but think most will enjoy. I wish they'd have continued the story. Instead, I'll have to look for other works by the makers of this fine series.
It may not have been flawless, but I thought everything was above average to exceptional. The main actors were phenomenal (two secondary parts were a few beats off but not terrible). The photography and editing were great. The story was compelling for nearly the entire four hours. The third episode slightly faltered for me. In the end, that may have been best: I'm not sure I blinked during most of the fourth episode.
Perhaps other reviewers had seen this specific story done (like Professor T, another great one, it seems to be a popular remake) before. They walked into it with expectations that weren't met (too similar or dissimilar)? Don't let them dissuade you. If it's caught your interest, give it at least 20 minutes. I can't help but think most will enjoy. I wish they'd have continued the story. Instead, I'll have to look for other works by the makers of this fine series.
interesting subject, bad playing
euflorys17 December 2016
The subject is interesting, with potential. The way actors play.... not natural at all. Horia, Elena, Robert are the "champions" in this regard - I do not know which one is more awful. Horia at least has the excuse that is still young. Considering how dark and depressing Romanian movies are in general this one is quite an improvement, it is refreshing the fact that it is based somewhere else than the capital-Bucuresti. First 3 episodes are decent. But the 4th one is a total disappointment.
So we have Robert a ruthless hierarchically climber in law enforcement, with excellent result in his work, he does anything in order to achieve his goals- even kill. Horia and his friend witness such a murder( the gay subject is conveniently inserted here). From here begins the entire action...
In the 4th ep Robert suffers an overnight "lobotomy" and acts like a total newbies... If till here the plot seemed realistic... here things go ballistic, in the wrong way. It is like the movie makers didn't care anymore and wanted to finish faster with it. My biggest problem is the acting. Without exaggeration some of them act as if a stick is inserted somewhere- very stiff, and I now they can perform much better(example Emilian Oprea in Why me)...
So we have Robert a ruthless hierarchically climber in law enforcement, with excellent result in his work, he does anything in order to achieve his goals- even kill. Horia and his friend witness such a murder( the gay subject is conveniently inserted here). From here begins the entire action...
In the 4th ep Robert suffers an overnight "lobotomy" and acts like a total newbies... If till here the plot seemed realistic... here things go ballistic, in the wrong way. It is like the movie makers didn't care anymore and wanted to finish faster with it. My biggest problem is the acting. Without exaggeration some of them act as if a stick is inserted somewhere- very stiff, and I now they can perform much better(example Emilian Oprea in Why me)...
What happened to the acting?
andreineculau26 May 2019
There is nothing, nothing that comes remotely close to the poor acting in this movie. It could easily get 7-8 stars if it wasn't for the acting.
Almost everyone is stiff. Nobody talks Romanian like this. There are two scenes when the characters should be raging with anger, and yet the actors are zen-calm, no fluctuation in their voice and only tense their facial muscles as if they are enacting their characters via animojis.
Overall the tv show has a good premise, even if it's a remake of Eyewitness (Norwegian), but the actors just do not deliver. At all. If this was a graduation test for acting school, 9 out of 10 should fail.
Almost everyone is stiff. Nobody talks Romanian like this. There are two scenes when the characters should be raging with anger, and yet the actors are zen-calm, no fluctuation in their voice and only tense their facial muscles as if they are enacting their characters via animojis.
Overall the tv show has a good premise, even if it's a remake of Eyewitness (Norwegian), but the actors just do not deliver. At all. If this was a graduation test for acting school, 9 out of 10 should fail.
Meh...
gosiacheck26 September 2021
Not very well done
qui_j17 June 2020
Since the original Norwegian version is not available for streaming, I thought this would be a good substitute. Unfortunately, it's poorly produced, low budget, and lacks continuity. The story is told in a jumbled manner with so many scenes being irrelevant. The final episode has too many sub plots all coming to a head that it really is just a jumbled mess. Overall, it's a waste of time.
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