Graduation (2017)

This was probably the most disappointing independent film I have ever seen. I was expecting something thrilling, shocking and far more interesting than this. The situations are coherent, but it seemed like something that we see day by day; something that eventually we will manage to resolve by ourselves like a question on an exam. Something completely indifferent.The acting was descent, if not great. I would liked that the actress who played Eliza had more scenes, because her performance was the best thing of this movie. Romeo was good, but he had scenes that were very long and boring to death. Everyone else was find I guess.The script was realistic but, as I said before, it was like a bunch of conversations that we hear or have every day, nothing special actually.If you are expecting a shocking and unforgettable movie, this is not for you, because believe me, it is completely forgettable and probably you will want to have your time and money back, maybe as much as I do.

All parents can be excessively protective when it is regarding their children. Bacalaureat unfolds the moral choices of a father to justify his decisions especially securing the future of loved ones and how far can he go? Besides, as it was said in the film, 'What is important is not the processes we have experienced but the result we want to achieve. We have to pass every tests regardless of the methods we choose in order to live the life we ​​desire.'It may be a slow-paced film for some viewers but it is a complex study of a father's moral values as it was seen after hitting the dog with his car, he went to the same place to find out what had happened to the dog and then he came across with death body of dog and he started to sob because of the remorse. If he had left Eliza to the school at the beginning of the film instead of letting her walk, would the consequences be different?

Fist of all, Romanian movies are the most unique movies I've ever seen, so they deserve to be watched and talked about among those who watch. Bacalaureat (Graduation) is an example how you can make a masterpiece without extraordinary script, how you can see the very best of acting without some special dialogues, effects, etc. For those who are admirers of Hollywood this is not a perfect thing to watch. There is nothing special in this movie, nothing extraordinary, uncommon... However Bacalaureat is one of the most beautiful thing I've seen during the last few years. Romanians should be teachers to the other directors. I'm not sure if Romanians should say "thanks" to communism and isolation during the last century, I am not sure whether this is their way to express the feelings that they've had in the past. I am sure that this movie is a diamond among overambitious titles.

Noted Actor(s)Romeo (Adrian Titieni) | Eliza (Maria-Victoria Dragus)Characters & StorylineFrom the way Dr. Romeo paints Romania, you could understand why he would want his daughter Eliza to go to school as far away as the UK. He makes it seem riddled with corruption and criminals roaming the streets, a place he should have never returned to but he thought he could change it. So with all that in mind, he is willing to do whatever it takes so when Eliza takes her final exams, her pending scholarship to a prestigious UK university will be paid for and guaranteed. However, the world he fears the corruption of gets to her before she can escape.HighlightsFor The Sake of the Children vs. The Sake of the CountryOne of the things I found interesting within this movie, though sadly isn't a strong focus, is the idea of whether it is best to send your children to a foreign country to learn and plant roots vs. them perhaps getting a foreign education and returning home with that knowledge. The reason this was of interest is because Romeo really paints Romania as a terrible place. Yet his mother asks, why would you push her to leave and never return? If girls like her don't return, what hopes are there for the country to become better? An idea which, with Donald Trump soon to be the President of the USA, is an interesting one. For many have threatened, though likely not have followed through, to immigrate to different countries to avoid the consequences of his presidency. Yet, relating to this movie, if those who seem capable of creating change or at least crafting hope leave and never return, what does that mean for a country's future?This topic, unfortunately, is mentioned only a handful of times and isn't made anything which most may find noteworthy. However, in a sea of one mundane moment to the next, it was perhaps the one intriguing thought this movie presented.CriticismFrom The Assault, Affair, and Corruption, Everything Is MundaneIt's very weird when a person is assaulted, borderline raped, there is an affair in a movie, and there is a slew of corruption and even an investigation into it, yet there isn't one thing which can be considered exciting. Each character, and perhaps the story itself, almost seems like it is downplaying all of these events. The assault isn't treated as something huge, just a hindrance to Eliza getting the grades she needs to guarantee her getting into university. The affair plot is all but accepted and with neither woman involved happy, nor you understanding how and why they fell in love with Romeo, again there isn't something to really get and keep your attention.Leaving the political corruption. As Romeo tries to figure out a way to give his daughter an edge, he deals with a customs agent, introduced by a police chief, who wants a liver for a favor. Leading to the test administrator being involved and while this all may be a minor scandal, a doctor pushing for an official to get a liver to help his daughter get high marks on a test, everything is handled without a hint of sensationalism, enthusiasm, or anything to snag your attention. Which if this movie was simply an hour, maybe even an hour and a half, that would be unfortunate. But with it being two hours long and none of these usually interesting or at least devastating to watch topics being of interest, that is a damn shame.On The FenceThere Aren't Any Bad Performances, Per seIt's kind of weird to say in a movie so dull there aren't bad performances. To me, I'm just so used to someone taking the lead, being passionate, conniving, or even comical. Yet, like Loving, in some ways, no one tries to step forward and stand out. For even if Romeo has the most scenes, the writing and performance doesn't make him seem like what you'd expect from a lead actor. If anything, he more so seems like he is part of an ensemble and is just taking on more of the movie's focus due to one of the other actors being sick, having schedule conflicts, or simply being unreliable.Overall: Negative (Skip It)As noted, across many a review, passionate performances, troubled or worrisome childhoods, comedic moments, that is what I live for. That, nine times out of ten, is what excites me no matter if it is a book, movie, TV show, video game, or a theatrical production. Yet, despite this movie having many elements of what usually leads to good performances and an entertaining experience, it falls short. It falls off a cliff actually. However, it doesn't necessarily seem bad. It is just that the movie takes a path not often tread and the lack of emotion, someone with charisma, and no one who really snags you makes it hard to be faithful to a two-hour movie. So, while I want to say this is something which is Mixed, I have to give it a negative rating.