Entertaining show. good film. enjoyed it very much. for time passing purposes it is an ideal film. you'll enjoy it... the only thing i was skeptical about is , everyone in the serbian residential area , everyone speaks decent english to run a daily conversation , even the nice lady at the market.
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recepvesek22 August 2020
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tomiema10 March 2010This is an OK film although it is quite slow-paced. The characters are undeveloped and the lack of chemistry between David Thornton (Robert)and Mirjana Karanovic (Olga) is painful to watch. The film is a step in the right direction when it comes to Serbian films, as there is no violence or hatred and the plot is interesting and realistic - people in Serbia really do resort to paying a foreigner to marry your fiancée, in order to make it possible for her to join you if you live and work in Western Europe or North America. However, this theme could have been exploited in a more interesting way. Also it does not do justice to Belgrade, where most of the film is set. Although certainly not the most attractive capital in the world, neither is it the grey, shabby place depicted in the film. Think of the impression one gets of Vienna watching 'Before Sunrise', or of Paris from 'Forget Paris'.
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I saw this movie at the Cinema City festival in Novi Sad. 85 minutes of wasted time! I didn't expect it to be a masterpiece, but I thought it could be at least a little bit fun. I was wrong! During the first half of the movie I was still believing myself it could get interesting... I was sitting quietly and waiting for something to happen. But nothing did. Just empty, boring dialogs and scenes showing Belgrade as the city with gray sky, city with strange people and their odd habits. NY wasn't much better either. Anyway, it's not like I haven't had a few laughs, but most of the time I was yawning. This could easily be a short, 15 minutes movie. If you are having thoughts about watching this film, please, think twice.
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tiresija14 September 2009This movie is very, very boring. It's not long (runs only 80+ minutes), but it's extremely slow-paced and uninteresting. The acting is poor, the main character (played by American actor David Thornton) looks like he's bored to death. There's a cameo by the great Cyndi Lauper (Thornton's real life wife). She's in two short scenes, but nothing interesting there - very disappointing. The New York scenes with Branislav Trifunovic are unnecessary for the movie's plot, they are overlong and should have been cut. And one more (very important) thing - Belgrade shown in this movie is not the real Belgrade. Belgrade isn't a perfect city, but it's not a strange dirty place full of weird, crazy people. My hometown is (among other things) a beautiful place and this movie doesn't do it justice. This is a sub par TV movie at the best.
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sergepesic6 December 2010"Here and there", the debut of an immensely talented young Serbian director Darko Lungulov is a great example of the vast difference between indie and big budget disaster. Indie movies, even when they are off the mark, at least attempt to tell the human story or describe the age long hardship of living. Big budget movies are usually the exercise in non-existent creativity and homage to stupidity. Two worlds: Belgrade in transition and dumpy Queens are not as different as one would think.In both places people are desperately trying to survive and find a better life. Often their dreams are just that-dreams, light like a spider web and fragile like an eggshell. This is a real jewel of a movie, an immense pleasure to watch.
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The cinematography is anything but good. The Depth of Field (DOF) is a very important tool in a film-makers arsenal. It is used to make the audiences' eye see what the director wants it to see by softly blurring the background information. However, the DOF used in this movie is just horrible. It is very shallow, thus blurring the background strongly. It might be excusable at times but this blur stays in effect even when the camera is following the actor from behind. These are the times when the audience checks out the surrounding. But hey cant do it. Why? 'Cuz Its blurred.
Also several times when the shot cuts to a different character speaking (in 2-way conversation) it starts with the other character totally blurred who then gradually comes into focus. This hurts the eye. Its like watching a kids very 1st effort at film-making. The cinematography is plain amateurish.
As for the story, it is slow, dull & boring. I was taken in by the premise and though I didn't expect greatness I did expect something worth my time. It wasn't there. Not good. Disappointed. -
If your idea of being entertained and/or enlightened includes watching a film with key story holes that momentarily stop the movie with their lack of logic and real life and also includes experiencing a leading male character of titanic depression, then 'Here and There' is for you. Among the story problems? Where does the dead broke young Serbian in the U.S. come up with the cash for one round trip airline flight from NYC to Belgrade plus a one way ticket, in reverse, for his fiancée? Where does the initially perpetually depressed Robert get the $18- $24 a day for his cigarette habit? Why doesn't he spend the $700 a month cigarette money on paying the rent on the s___t h__e apartment he's being evicted from? Why don't hundreds of thousands of foreigners, wanting to immigrate to the U.S. via the fake marriage scam and just do what Ivana does; marry an American and go straight from the Serbian wedding ceremony to the American embassy to get a visa and in very short order fly to the U.S.? It's so easy to do! This summarizes some of this movies distractingly false stories. But the real problem is the ennui of Robert: Director Darko ('may I call you Blackie?'), we get it. He's a supremely, depressed human being, a gold medalist in Stasis. But enough is enough. Get on with the story, or at least write a story where human engagement can be of interest to the viewer based on the complexity of relationships, not on the titanic black hole your leading man has fallen in to.
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MovieBrigand17 January 2010I don't know what some of the reviewers above were referring to when they said that the film was slow-paced. It's a perfect pace for the story and the characters that drive it.
It's a character-driven narrative beautifully and economically done, in the true spirit of indie greats like Jarmousch or Wenders for example. And it's a story of values that are considered lasting worldwide, so with the clever interlacing of the New York and Belgrade story streams the two cities almost blend into one with love as the glue that binds them together.
The actors' performances are strong and memorable. If you like independent film you will enjoy this one, and it may even leave you thinking as well as engage you emotionally. -
lynnchristia20 June 2020Lower east side NYC meets Belgrade. Several characters, all living with their own predicaments, cross paths. This film tells a special story with humor, suspense and a bit of quietly gritty style. There are subtle details, and a lot of heart. The actors ( Cyndi Lauper makes a great appearance ) are the best ! Darko Lungulov has this wonderful ability to describe an engaging story, while helping us to look at the characters with tenderness and a dose of reality. Lovely photography and direction. Bravo.
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myfriendtamy26 October 2009Wow can we really go wrong ? Cindy Lauper , Serbia , New York... I am sure everyone will love this film ! The images of Serbia will surly help you fall in love with the beautiful people and land, A chance to experience the interesting life styles and ways of the Serbian people while enjoying a great story line.....I am considering traveling just so I can see this more than once I am sure you will all enjoy this film.. Its definitely worth you time to check out..I cannot wait to watch this with friend's I am sure they will love this as much as I and as much I am sure you will. I wish there were more films like this to give us a glimpse of real life and the way it works when love and distance have its hand in the affair's of the heart.
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I have stopped counting the times I have watched Here And There. It is a captivating wonderfully written and filmed story that plays in both Belgrade and New York. You can not help but fall in love with all of the characters in the movie as you follow them on their very diverse journeys of live both in Belgrade and New York and you are left with a feeling of deep satisfaction and profound fondness of the main characters Robert the down on his luck musician whose brief stay in Belgrade gives him so much more then he ever expected and the young Branco a Serbian young man who is trying to make it in NY. You are also allowed to see both cities through the eyes of those trying to escape them and those wishing they could stay. The cast is outstanding from David Thornton as Robert to Cyndi Lauper who plays Rose his girlfriend every actor and actress fits their role like a glove. If you have not seen the movie already buy it or rent it and if you have to steal money to do so do it because it is definitely worth it. If this scale of points had ones higher then ten I would give them because it is just that kind of a movie and would have deserved so much more recognition then it actually got but as always unfortunately big Hollywood tends to overshadow the really important independent movies with a lot of pomp and arrogance its a shame really. I have deliberately not included much of the plot because I want everyone to watch the movie and not spoil it for anyone.
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eornad-118 July 2010A movie like "Here and There" shows us just how good movies can be, even when they're made on a tiny budget. With a pitch-perfect cast (that includes Cindy Lauper!) and a script that hinges on a clever conceit, "Here and There" straddles the line between comedy and drama in the best indie fashion and delivers emotions that register on many different levels. The movie's script, about a depressed NYC jazz musician who finds himself stuck in Belgrade, Serbia, beautifully explores the different facets of it's protagonist's plight with humor, drama, a hard won humanism, and above all, a light touch that is never heavy handed. The film moves along briskly, whisking you away in it's narrative current, and before you realize it you're enmeshed in the character's lives and you're heart is beating along with them. Recommended for anyone in need of a good story told expertly or for anyone who thinks independent films are dead. Take a look at "Here and There" and you'll discover that they are alive and going strong. I'm sure Jarmusch would be proud of new writer/director Darko Lungulov who combines the tone and aesthetic of the indies with the wit and showmanship of classic Hollywood screen writing.
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I did liked the idea of Here and There", and also the realization of it. It is indeed a story about an American who comes to the Balkans and is lured by the natural charm of the region and its people. But the interesting thing, the shade that makes this movie keep realistic, is that Robert doesn't stop being himself after the experience. He remains the socially awkward guy who expresses himself better by music than by words. He doesn't become loud like a Serbian, he doesn't starts to dance free of inhibitions on the local music. He just finds again inspiration to sing, falls in love, and realizes that what people think it's the best, is not always the best for everybody. Robert's story is a story of how to be happy outside of the crowd, about finding your personal solutions. And it's touchy and beautiful put in images. But if the fate smiles to Robert, takes him out of his inertia and pushes him towards a better version of himself, we can't say the same thing about Branko. The Serbian guy who struggles in the tough world of New York to make a living is facing a series of unfortunate situations. We can well see his frustration of being so close to his dream, but also feeling that it sleeps away, like we can also see his determination to endure in order to succeed.
Belgrade, with its transition grey shades, but also colorful men it's a character per se. We can see there men that didn't lose their pride, cheerful girls that sell in stores, and the famous Balkan hospitality that states that every stranger should be treated as a friend. Even if you find him guilty of a lot sort of historical things, even if he just answers to your friendship with grumblings, it doesn't change anything. -
cekadah9 September 2012to me this film came across as quiet and contemplative.
i will not get into the story here as that is for the viewer. what i want to express is the acting and pace of the movie. not an action or adventure story but a story of mind and heart. dialog is minimal. actors expressions relate so much of the story dialog is not necessary.
most people won't get it. but i found this movie to be delightful and very easy to believe each character and their emotions. this story is reflective of many lives. just plain people wanting to just live an ordinary life but survival so often dictates our direction.
and seeing Cyndie Lauper is a treat. would like to see her in more movies as i believe she could pull off a character very well.
give this film a try, plus you see NYC scenes different from most film makers. -
Tony-Kiss-Castillo22 December 2023We saw "HERE" at the 2009 Orlando Film Festival. My wife and I were so impressed by the film we stuck around for a prolonged Q+A. Luckily, Producer Frank Calo invited us to an "After" get together/party for the production. All this proved to be quite worthwhile, because it gave us some unique inside-track insights into the production, which are shared with you here.
Serbian Director Darko Lungulov studied the art of film-making in New York. His years in the Big Apple are clearly reflected in his savvy instinct in obtaining precisely the right mix of the where/what/when/how/why of the New York backdrop; his foreigner/outsider perspective adds a fingerprint spin. The passion for his labor of love, which blazed so intensely in his eyes, permeates every frame of this multiple award-winning American/Serbian look at how one man's capricious decision to grab a fistful of cash by traveling to Belgrade and marrying a woman to secure her U. S. Visa, indirectly sets him on a path of redemption and self-rediscovery.
David Thorton (Unhooks the Stars) fleshes out his role as a burned-out sax player with a refreshing degree of studied nonchalance that veils a constant and consistent intensity. Mirjana Karanovic("The Serbian Meryl Streep" we were told) as Olga, is living proof that actions speak louder than words. A mature and kind-spirited woman, who knows just how to nurture all those around her, yet never seeking out someone special to nurture her.
HERE's otherworldly treat is its deliciously enticing, traditionally-rooted Serbian musical score by Dejan Pejovic. It set the tone and mood of the film so perfectly it could be used as an example of music for optimum ambience in Film-making classes! Cyndi Lauper (Who JUST happens to be married to David Thorton BTW!) has a cameo that adds cleverly to the overall production and also contributes an original song!
There is one warm, inspirational and unique aspect of HERE and THERE, but to reveal it would amount to a spoiler. So, you must experience this great film for yourself!
...ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA! -
An Absolute Gem of a Film. Lighthearted and genuinely humane.
It looks like I'm late to the party here but the film just popped up tonight on my Amazon Prime feed.
It's films like "Here and There" that restore my faith in cinema. Highest marks to the actors, writer and director.
And that acting was indeed wonderful! And the storyline- a complete and thoroughly engaging delight!
The lead actor, David Thornton, had all of the brooding and quiet power of the late and beloved, Robert Forster. Thornton is a MOST watchable actor that I would certainly like to see a lot more of in films. -
bshaef31 August 2020The city was so ugly but the people were beautiful. I didn't know what to think when I started to watch this but very early on I thought "I like this movie."