Tears for Sale (2008) User Reviews (10)

Great Plot, Emotional Music, Excellent Camera & Set Design, Metaphorical Message, Amateur Screenplay and a Lot of Bad Acting!

[kaloqer · 7/10 · 7 September 2009]

One Big Dose of a Great Plot, Music, Camera & Set Design, Few metaphorical Messages, One amateur Screenplay and lot of bad Acting! That is how one of the newest Serbian ''to-cinema-returning'' and ''pretended-to-mesmerize-long-ago-sleepy-public'' movies could be described in short. New wave of global Hollywoodization clearly affected new Serbian Cinematography, with this, more, or less effects-fabricated fantasy and drama work serving as a perfect example of already proved worldwide magic recipe. And what about promoted originality and authenticity (of the Serbian Cinematography, Mentality, Culture...) No, not in this one. So turbulent political and economy Transition of the Serbian Society came to the Serbian Cinema too.

However, some of the important elements, previously mentioned, especially - original Plot, Music, Set Design and Camera are very good news in new Serbian (and former great? Yugoslav) cinematography, somehow always ''full of talents'' and always with lack on visual and acoustic elements. And money, of course! Example of ''Carlston za Ognjenku'' and significant involvement of affirmed foreign film companies in its shooting and production certainly brings a lot of optimism for the future.

However #2, with no doubt, this is yet another one debut work, from one more ''Child of the Serbian Movie''. Yes, the young director is someone's ''already-in-the-bussines'' son. And yes, his baby-movie has been therefore pretty much supported ''at all costs'', if not even forced from some top levels. But this is not my biggest concern. There are so much time in the future for young Stojanovic to prove himself and his work.

The reason of my deeply worry is certainly our new generation of the so-called prosperous young actor-stars. Those who need and should inherit and continue decades of proved good acting in our cinematography... Those who became stars too early. Even before they became actors! I'm worried. Are you?

Charleston for my Ognjenka

[hejbreovojemojmail · 6/10 · 6 February 2008]

This movie is.... a tad strange... It's fast, unclear here and there. Some of it's scenes are done in a manner thought to be appealing to a foreign audience, the domestic one isn't all that great, and this is understandable. The acting is good, the dialogues are lively even when they become rough. The acting is, actually the strongest part of this movie, even the extras seem convincing and natural. The story has a nice current, flow, but can be fast at times. The main characters go through certain story progressions expediently, and some scenes are abruptly speedy. It has an interesting idea, a good cast, a life to it... but the look of it was a little too modern, trying a little to hard to reach a broader audience, remember that movie inside a movie in 'Simone' with Pacino, it felt a bit like that. It's definitely different from the other domestic productions. I don't even know what to think of it, it left me a bit fuzzy and confused, but i do recommend it, if for nothing else, then because of the strong, mostly female, cast.

A Serbian "Amelie"

[eos_malaparte · 10/10 · 30 June 2010]

I saw this movie at the TIFF two years ago and I was overwhelmed by the beautiful images, the incredible actresses, the fantastic story and magical illogic of it all. It reminded me very much of the French movie "Amelie", in that it had a similar cause-and-effect structure which obeyed its very own visionary logic. I believe it is utterly unnecessary to try to categorize the movie since its quality precisely lies in its intriguing eclecticism (which makes it hard to sell to people, unfortunately).

The actresses are ravishing, seductive and radiate a sirenic glow - their performance captures the viewer's attention completely from beginning to end.

The story is one of passion and female determinism - told in an entirely unorthodox, refreshing way without ever taking itself too seriously.

Uros Stojanovic is the Serbian Luc Besson and I hope the movie will get the appreciation it deserves.

An emotional script for humor and sensual growth

[Tee_Sigma · 10/10 · 5 February 2008]

"Charleston for Ognjenka" is an attractive, dynamic, feminine, adventure and comedy for intelligent audience, one of the movies from the select group without first neighbors, a work to remember.

There is a song that says: "One step changes whole world". That's the sort of precision punches, bruises, subtle words, or awesome music that hits the viewer with perfect timing at perfect places, as if to receive a cure and treatment for the formal description or even definition of what this movie is supposed to be.

Charleston is not a morbid movie despite all the epic graveyards and characters "made of magic" due to careful details impact and art really. The topic of the movie is an attempted cultural change and its critique. Strong in body language, movie is a transformation journey of maturity and sensuality. At times the frames are haunted by ghosts that liberate the dark humor into character acceptance and pro life propaganda.

Tending to occupy most of attention and physical experience in theater, we may add it to the heritage of artworks that penetrate directly into perceptual actuality.

Guide it through fluent, flying camera in surreal vision for best results. Cinematography beyond error earns the right to free expression, and a solid blow to emotions at times.

Charelston for Ognjeka

[stanko666 · 4/10 · 14 February 2008]

Well I've just returned from the cinema after watching this movie. I have dual thoughts about it. First the camera and the acting are stunning for a Serbian movie, we(Serbs) have reach a Hollywood production level. But the weak part of a movie is screenplay or a plot. First a women tribe is chaotic, there is no matriarch in the village, and two female protagonists are quite independent for Serbian women from that ages. The love concept is based on nothing, and male characters lacks personality. There is that vineyard, that the girls go to, that has a planted mine field.Why do they go to that vineyard? To die...(It was called Mineyard in the movie)If they died there, the village wouldn't get any grapes at all, and few of them get out alive. The concept of the vineyard is quite illogical. As I said before, love concept is illogical also, as they madly fall in love in some guys that they have just seen. I compared it to a movie called The Wickerman, where the matriarch tribe girls abandon theirs feelings for the tribe's sake. In this movie that isn't a case. The girls are quite careless for the rest of the tribe and want those two men for themselves. Male characters are quite feeble, and annoying. Trey are made like they are from an other world, not realizing a current situation. They are certainly not the model of men two fell in love at the first site. My final word would be:"At the beginning of the movie you are on zero point, at the end of the movie you are on the zero point. Nothing changes, everyone is miserable as in the beginning". Also they categorized this movie as a comedy. THIS IS NOT A COMEDY, it's a drama with an elements of horror.

A pure delight

[RDH-4 · 9/10 · 24 December 2010]

It's a pity the first review of the film on the IMDb website is so negative, by an illiterate reviewer I might add. I need to respond because this was the single most delightful film I saw at TIFF 2008. I don't understand why it hasn't had wider release. Comedy can be the best way to deal with a tragic history - it's why so often people tell funny stories at memorials. I realize that those personally touched by Serbian history may not find Tears for Sale so amusing, but the ability to find perspective through humour can be a first step in moving on to a better, more tolerant and peaceful future. In general, the quality of new Serbian films is amazing, and this one was only surpassed by the wonderful "Honeymoons" at TIFF 2009. If you can find them, see them both!

One of the worst films I had the misfortune of seeing..

[ginem_ginem · 2/10 · 1 January 2010]

One of the worst peaces of cinematic drab I have seen in a long while.. I'm glad I didn't watch this little ditty in a cinema, because then I would be forced to walk out (which I hate doing).. What I hate the most about this movie is it's awkward pace - It's a mess, a collage of fast paced scenes mixed with slow motion shots. The dialogue is not even close to believable. The CGI, is OK, that's the only thing in the movie I don't hate, but it's far from a redeeming factor - I feel like this heap of a movie was created for the sole purpose that some guys can hone their special effect skills. It's full of shallow symbolism, overinflated to the absurd... The script is bad, the acting is worse, but the direction is a bottomless void of fail. I must note that this movie was so bad that I just had to register here, and vent my anger/disgust/whatever.

I was impressed :)

[mpanajotovic82 · 9/10 · 27 August 2008]

When i saw a trailer I thought I must see this movie.It seamed like something modern and well produced for a Serbian movie.Comments from some distinguished movie critics didn't well so good and I thought that last night when I was going to the festival to see it that I will be disappointed.But it was quite opposite I was fascinated.It is such a great comedy in first place and after that a great love story for people who understand what love is. This is a comment from the person that watches what kind an effect will make the movie on her.Not directing or acting or some other part in particular but the whole movie in the way all those parts together make the person feel after watching it.From that point of view i thing that this is a great movie :)

A masterpiece

[mirabela1001 · 10/10 · 14 July 2010]

This movie is simply a masterpiece. Its surrealist approach is similar to but goes much farther than Kusturica's flying fishes and brides (which are, by all means, the most charming features of Arizona Dream or Underground). It is the kind of film that makes you dream about another - not necessarily better, but nevertheless fascinating - world. This is especially remarkable as other Balkan cinematographers, such as the Romanians, are growing increasingly famous due to the triumph at Cannes and elsewhere of their sinister, realist movies that push the Italian post-WWII neo-realism to a darker, unbearable degree. Watching those films will certainly make you dream too, but you'll have nightmares. Watching Tears for Sale (or Charleston & Vendetta, which is the translation of the original title) is a delighting experience in post-modern surrealism. For the time being, the problem is that the movie seems to be available mostly in Serbian. Still, after some effort I was able to find on Internet an excellent French language version. But I am sure that subtitled DVD versions will soon be available. One final caveat: if you are an admirer of Hollywood movies and prefer 'believable dialogues' (as one of my fellow-reviewers does) definitely DO NOT WATCH Tears for Sale. Go to a theater that screens Spiderman 9 and you'll be happy. Choose Stojanovic's film only if you really like high-end cinema.

Interesting

[miljanajevtic · 10/10 · 22 February 2019]

Best movie I've ever watched in my life.In the same time sad and funny.