The script is full of good ideas and intentions, all in all about half-fulfilled: the story-line is somewhat linear, and lacking many of the important joints of a well articulated scenario - but, on the positive side, it's entertaining and rich in content, able to combine into a well balanced recipe the tragedy and comedy.

To my extremely agreeable surprise, Horatiu proved himself a true director. All his hesitations and uncertainties are of the "inherent to a debut" type - and remarkably few in number. Definitely, he shows a good critical sense, trimming away many of the script's faults, or even speculatively converting them into positive qualities. Further, he has a powerful visual sense, and a solid capacity of synthesis.

One has commented about the movie's "theatralism" - it deliberately departs realism, by recourse to many stylish exaggerations, significant and expressive as such, but of an unlikelihood bordering impossibility. So it is, but this seeming failure remained only one step away of being converted into what it actually purported to be: a daring mean of expression, in the best vein of elaborated style. It would have been enough to insist a bit more on the present-day mayor's narrative about the depicted happenings, stressing the fact that everything is seen through the distorting lens of one's own affective memory.

Still, it's undeniable that Horatiu creates a world of its own, bringing it to focus with extreme expressiveness... It's hard to forget the tasteful beauty of the erotic scenes - topped by the splendid image of Meda Victor being literally "drowned in wheat" by Alex Potocean's thrusts. And the top-scene, the "Mute Wedding" itself, arrives to be a successful tour de force. Definitely, it's a movie to be seen - and savored with relish.

A small town. A happy young couple about to be wed. A tight community ready to celebrate this happy event. All is well. Until a number of militant communists enter the town to declare a period of national mourning after the death of the party leader. After that the wedding party is forbidden and the community searches for a way to have it go on anyway. The solution is as dared as inventive as fun: the feast will go on but everything, including the music, will be in mime.

And so starts one of the funniest films I've seen in a long time - the lives of the people, the loving community and the vividly happy pair are all somewhat pressured by the need to be silent, but are all still there oh so very clearly. As events roll on it is clear that the fun will not last forever, but it is as good as it can be while it is there.

And there it is: a tragicomedy about the right event, at the wrong time, all wrapped in a long back flash which in my eyes is only added to the film to lengthen it a bit. It could have been somewhat better if that part had not been there and the actual wedding party had been done longer. But it's still a great film and it adds a good warmth to the heart.

9 out of 10 silenced laughters

Perfect cinema ,good laughs with deep profound feeling, the great of this movie is not long only one hour and a half masterpiece especially at the second half,watch it never miss it

For me this movie was of a great impact. I left the cinema and have not been able to say a word for more than 15 minutes. I was fascinated. It gave me a deep, profound feeling of genuine art, with incredible complex features gathered together in these 90 minutes of displayed images. A lot of meaning - I am sure for non-Romanians has not the same amount of meaning - and an authentic way of touching the most sensitive parts of the Romanian people, with humor on the most critical aspects of the most absurd time, the communist time of Romania. Malaiele is a great artist, but this film is his masterpiece. I highly recommend you to watch this movie. It is not just a movie, it is a lifetime experience.

This is maybe the best movie I have seen. It made me get an IMDb account to rate it 10 stars. I don't care about technical judgments about this movie. It's a Romanian emotional roller-coaster which pictures our recent history in a tragical and comical frame. It's one of the few movies I have ever watched at the cinema where at the end of which lots of people applauded. Romanians are recognizing themselves in the story and they find coherence in their identity and this makes the movie a masterpiece and a great service to the people of this country.

One more thing that I appreciate in this movie is a reparation done within the history of the subjective experience. People from the village were at best ignoring communists and poking fun of them if they were not hating them. Nobody was happy to give away their land and village men knew what communism can bring, since they saw it with their own eyes when they fought on the Eastern front.

Most people hated communism and they tried to live a normal life in silence, just like it happens in the movie. Humor was maybe the best survival resource.

I live in Romania and I know from personal experience and thorough study what Russians did bring under the name of communism. I don't try to convince anyone that the so called communism was criminal and implemented locally with the help of the weakest links (like in the movie), low educated people with low morals, since there is enough literature today for anyone that has any doubt. Of course, as somebody mentions here, Romanians too did their horrible crimes on the Eastern front, but this does not mean that what the people like the ones in the movie endured, did any kind of humane justice. The people that fought on the Eastern front are a good source, since they were regular soldiers, not vicious criminals and even if they were vicious criminals, they could anyway still have seen the "benefits" that "communism" has brought to Russia.

I understand why some people consider it propagandistic, but in my view this is a good artistical work upon the subjective experience and life of ordinary Romanians in 1953.

Tonight, 1st of May 2009, I have been invited to the Ratiu Foundation's Film Festival in London to see the film. Reviews from Romania came as a poor film, with a simple matter not well directed. I have to say that I've had the best cinematic experience in years. Malaele's film is truly a masterpiece, in directing actors as well as in his choice of cutting and music and everything that anyone would want to see. If some voices call it a copy of Kusturica's films I gotta say that is 10 times better, because on top of a colorful cast he also has acting, drama, tragedy, and comedy at the top of his sarcastic lungs. Malaele is a master in film that needs to be praised, and he needs nothing more of my words. All he needs now is his recognition that I as a Romanian director would give him with all my heart: I wish I could do a film like that!

An incredible tragicomedy, which brings tears into one's eyes, both of laughter and grief.

The film appeals to the whole set of emotions a person can feel. It embraces the Romanian spirit into its smallest details and its deepest inherent leitmotifs, from the town's mute to the town's whore, from the typical Romanian town saloon to the typical Romanian wedding. Sudden transitions from funny situations to tragic ones and back to comical throughout the film give you a roller-coaster sensation. And all this is 'garnished' with apparitions of death represented as a bride, inserted in the most discreet way possible. These apparitions are the only clue that you receive about the ending. And you don't need more.

All I can say is this film made me proud of Romanian cinematography.

There will be others, I hope- since Malaele did such a good job with this first film of his.

The movie tells more than it just shows, even if the story is just a little bit loose in places. The essence permeates just fine and the strong symbolism it uses (like in the wedding silent feast or the silly mute comedy scenes), all the thick strokes still leave room for subtleties and interpretation.

It naturally flows from the savorous comedy bucolical scenes towards the dark drama at the end. It may very well be regarded as a critique of the Romanian capacity to adapt, our viral submissiveness that can make us just go with the wave, instead of reacting and fighting back. The amenability slowly mutates into fear and corruption. As a matter of fact, didn't we all leave with the circus? We let it control our lives and dictate the rules, we just accepted the yoke and the satire stopped doing the magic trick at some point.

Dead and buried, but the communism still wanders around. There are still uprooted people for which the absence is a state of being. People like the quiet mourners, who cannot meet today's society and it's new coutumes without the presence of the dis consideration depicted in the final scene.

The easiest way to tell if a movie is good or bad is to look at the comments and see how many people really understand the message; for this movie very few people did, which confirms the fact that we are indeed dealing with a very artistic and highly complex film. It was painful to read all the garbage written by some reviewers before me, and it appears very clearly that they understand very little the spirit of the 1950s as it was superbly encapsulated by this film. A lesson of history and less brainwash by contemporary politically correctness will certainly help understand this movie properly. It is not about a wedding, it is not about a village wiped out, or about communists, it is about historical destiny and humanity. Those who have seen beyond the comedy understand what I mean by that. The rest of you should really stick to shallow movies, because anything beyond that will confuse you unnecessarily.

Allegory for the Soviet conquest in Romania. A conquest of minds not only of soil.

8/10

Unfortunaly the film has a very clear anticommunist message, so the discussion about politics prevails. Most comments I read face the film this way. As about me:I could understand the way the winners face the history, but I think its a shortcoming to be so one-sided. The communists are depicted like idiots, the Soviets like monsters. Of course this is not an historic documentary, it's art, but it makes it difficult for a viewer to accept pure propaganda. Now regarding the artistic virtues: I found it very good, very much alike Kusturicha's films, but a better version of them. The directing is skillful, and the acting quite good. Some scenes are of extravagant beauty. It also gives an idea of the Romanian spirit and soul, but as I wrote above the political message doesn't allow for a non-objective evaluation.

fragile, fascinating, delicate, cruel theme. and impressive way to say a painful story with humor, wise and art to present an entire universe. in fact, exercise of Mălăiele fascinating science to build a perfect product , exercise of Balkanian nuances, testimony about a dictatorship, slice of Ionesco style, wonderful trip in heart of absurd and fear. an extraordinary experience. or only a remember as warning. nothing special. basic elements, real good cast, atmosphere of many Romanian movies. and a little magic. a sweet difference. and bitter air of an old picture. a spider web in spring wind. that is final impression. and a tragedy as page from ash book of memory. nothing more. but in final, emotion is great and the tear has as root a very small smile.

You must be a little bit romanian to understand the whole message. Interesting movie about family life. Great work !

The movie is surprisingly well-made, with passable acting, good puns and satire as well as a captivating plot. It however loses its artistic touch in one very important scene dedicated to a propagandistic, out-of-place condemnation of communism. Due to the importance of the scene, the actual plot is in fact a secondary element to a very political message, which is a shame.

However if you're looking for a good, happen to speak Romanian or are happy with reading subtitles and aren't interested in Romanian history, this might be what you're looking for, (except for the acting, which isn't really good, just acceptable).

The story is an interesting one, especially for those who know a little more about communism and the horrible things communists did to people. Unfortunately, the movie is not, by far, as good as the story. Maybe it was intended this way, but, to me, it looks like an amateur movie.

The actors did their jobs just fine, but the movie seems to be made out of pieces, as if it was too long and they had to cut a little bit here and there to make it fit. So the action is full of inconsistencies.

In the end, I have just had the feeling that there should have been more. I didn't get attached to any of the characters, as I usually do when I really like a movie, and the compassion I felt for the people in the village was completely wiped out by the misplaced scene in the end of the movie.

The story is a very painful one, and it's a shame that the movie is only scratching the surface!

it is the only word who could be used about this film. because it represents the best way to remind/present so painful , delicate events from the East than other manner is more than risky. it is a film about dictatorship. about fear, hope and about beginning. about courage and community. about the absurd who defines ordinary people life. and about survive. a film by a remarkable actor who use his laws and nuances and sketches of his experience of performer for do his so personal film. it reminds Kusturica but the theme and the subtle style to give the right image of a dark period does it unique. because it is a profound Romanian film. and this fact does it universal. because , in fact, it is a history lesson. honest, clear, using the most strong, convincing bitter humor. it preserves the taste of Urmuz, Eugene Ionesco or popular jokes under the Communist regime. and this does it a real masterpiece.