Read somewhere that this was the first Romanian policier or noir or crime drama. It tries. Also read that it was banned and the lead actor Dan Nutu fled Romania years later, which I can only be happy for him. But he never really acted again.

Based on a novel and directed by the writer. Has a star cast. There's an incredible amount of misogyny, abuse and sexual violence. The police are very abusive, which is probably why it was banned. It's also very graphic and focuses greatly on religion and belief, another cardinal sin from the party's point of view.

Could have made for an excellent subversive movie post 89, but the story is all over the place. The character of the young boy witnessing and recounting the events with all sorts of embellishments makes no sense. He is portrayed as a pathological liar and a simple boy, of diminished intellect. However, he doesn't strike me as unintelligent. He is very well spoken and very imaginative, but he is treated and portrayed as an idiot. It's been a cinema and literary trope to show events through the innocent eyes of an "idiot", but would and idiot speak like that? In fact the dialogues in general struck me as too florid and unnatural. And not just the boy's dialogue. The events do not flow or gel together. The script and the editing are not good. I can see the director placed more importance on the imagery at the cost of story fluidity and continuity. The widow is a strange creature. She looks too elegant and polished and even aristocratic for this god-forsaken town. But she is certainly taken down a peg or two by the abusive policeman played by Dichiseanu, who even threatens sexual violence to get her to admit to having s tryst. There's a rape scene by the river that the boy witnesses and I have no idea who those characters are supposed to be and what is the point of the scene in the story. There's no trail of clues or the semblants of an investigation. Mateias, the "detective" played by Ion Caramitru is the only smart and dedicated policeman who actually solves the murders but we're not shown how. We are shown the murderer and that he was caught.

It's available on YouTube on the Romanian Cinepub channel for free viewing. But I wouldn't recommend it, it's bound to aggravate you more than anything else. I enjoyed some of the actors and the imagery. But the characters are written badly, the acting is over the top and tropey in places, the story and the dialogues are subpar.

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The thriller genre features suspense, tension, and excitement. These stories are known for keeping audiences on the edge of their seats and delivering intense emotional experiences by revolving around high-stakes situations, dangerous conflicts, and the constant anticipation of unexpected events.

The murder of two workers and a high school student triggers a series of investigations whose conclusions are awaited.

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Ion Dichiseanu and Emilia Dobrin in Printre colinele verzi (1970)

Dan Nutu in Printre colinele verzi (1970)

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Printre colinele verzi

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