Romanian film review: Breaking up is hard to do - A Month in Thailand

At only 28, Paul Negoescu has already been a prolific filmmaker and his intriguing short films have won a lot of praise at the crème de la crème of international film festivals. The step towards his first feature was just a matter of time, and fortunately it was a very short time. A Month in Thailand/O lună în Thailanda is the ironic title of a romantic dramedy played out over a long New Year's Night in Bucharest. Radu is going through a personal and romantic crisis which blows up at midnight, leading him to dump his clingy, annoying girlfriend and look for his former lover, whom he had unceremoniously ditched a few months previously. This is not unfamiliar ground for film-goers, but there are some surprises waiting along the way. The tone is light, allowing the sarcasm to kick in with great timing, but it also stays consistently sympathetic. These twenty-somethings may act erratically and you might slap your forehead over their messy ways but their lack of focus is surely something everyone will click with. The film was shot in only 19 days, with a very young crew and little money. And while these constraints show at times, such as with the occasionally wooden dialogue, it is nevertheless an accurate and droll picture of a generation numbed and dumbed by (apparently) too many choices. The actors are young and fresh-faced and are obviously having a good time playing the aimless but decent figures. Radu's character is a tricky one as he is neither articulate nor charming enough to justify the effect he apparently has on women, but then again we all know this guy in real life. And right about the middle of the film comes a scene that is pure exhilarating cinema. Well-done, Mr. Negoescu. Watch the excellently made trailer below: The film is running in a few cinemas across the country; you can find the dates and venues here. For more background information on the shoot, take a look at an interview with the filmmaker. By Ioana Moldovan, Columnist, ioana.moldovan@romania-insider.com