I felt quite heavy watching the movie. I don't understand politics, in fact everything about Greece is Greek to me as of today. The story reminded me of "A boy in stripped pajamas" reinforcing my belief that almost always some one innocent has to pay for the wrong deeds of not so innocent. And all such acts against innocent people get registered in the vibrations of the universe - whether being done rightfully or wrongfully. No wrong that is done persistently to a weaker group/ person and stays hidden from the eyes of the public (that can correct that wrong), is not given back to the universe- it always returns to the universe. That simple truth was very stressed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We cannot justify wrongs to the innocent but usually that is the way for many to behave and for universal vibrations to respond. The movie "A Boy In Stripped Pajamas" had shaken me after I had completed the movie. "Worlds Apart" movie not so much but I liked the love stories.
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mrwildgoose26 April 2022Not the most profound of movies, but it's good nevertheless. Excellent performances throughout, even though the storyline feels a bit one dimensional at times. A little girl's bicycle at the end scene is heartbreaking.
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vikatsi27 December 2015I could not expect anything less from Christoforos Papakaliatis! Excellent performances,realistic dialogs and a touch of Greek magic even through difficult yet realistic situations.All three stories kept you waiting anxiously for the conclusion.You get a fairly good picture of how economical crisis has affected different age groups all through a love story. I have to mention the music that gives a more dramatic aspect to every scene. Finally the beautiful scenery of Plaka makes you fall in love with Greece and forget, even if for a moment,all the everyday trouble Greek people go through everyday. I highly recommend it to everyone-Greek or not.
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catherinegreece24 December 2015I watched it yesterday and I kept my expectations rather high, because the main theme of the movie and the way it shapes politics concerns me in a direct manner. It was even better than I expected it. The script is extremely interesting, especially if you like movies that have to do with the society and politics. I daresay it depicted my country, Greece, as it is in reality. With both its breathtaking beauty and its ugliness. What mostly enthralled me though, was the directing and the photography. On the whole, it was a movie that captivated you frame by frame. The acting was another surprise, although it should not have been, with such an impressive casting. Niki Vakali and Tawfeek Barhom were two names, which I am going to remember and watch over from right on. Andrea Osvart was pleasantly fitting to her role, like it was written for her. JK Simmons and Maria Kavogianni amazed me with the natural innocence of their romance. There was chemistry and simultaneously their acting was enviable. And, lastly, Christopher Papakaliatis has to be congratulated, because he did not only direct and write the film, but he also gave a fairly good performance.
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viliad19 December 2015Go to watch this movie if you like thinking outside the box, if you like exploring different characters, if you are not fully uncomfortable challenging stereotypes. The plot is highly realistic with a good pace from scene to scene throughout the movie. There is a balance between positive and negative aspects of life. The main characters developed by Christoforos Papakaliatis seem to be able to distinguish good from bad but are not always able to follow the pathway of compassion. Understanding an individual of another nation seems to be an extremely difficult task especially if you are not in love with him or her. Apart from the plot, three different ones to be specific, that meet towards the end of the movie; acting was realistic and photography was great. The movie kept you wanting to find more about the characters while politics and how it shapes peoples lives was kept at the background through the movie. This is a great balanced movie!
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dromasca16 September 2017Although located at the Southern extremity of the European Union, or maybe just because of this, Greece found itself in the last few years at the crossroads of Europe. The economic crisis that hit Europe and the whole world a decade ago was specifically tough on the Greek economy, part due to global factors, part to the accumulation of bad administration and wrong decision in economic policies. For the Greek economy to survive harsh austerity programs were imposed by the EU and the IMF, resulting in salary and pension cuts and especially in loss of jobs for a significant percentage of the work force. On the other side, Greece found itself, together with Italy, being a target destination and entry point in Europe for hundreds of thousands of refugees from war and economic catastrophes in Africa and the Islamic world. The social and economic pressure resulted in high costs for the Greeks families and individuals, in personal crises for people losing or in danger of losing their safety in a world in change. For some of them the refuge was in political extremism. For other in love. This is the background but also the major theme of actor and director Christopher Papakaliatis's film 'Enas Allos Kosmos' or 'Worlds Apart'.
The film is based on three stories, which at first seem to have in common only the relationships between three Greeks and three aliens of different origins and statuses. A young student is saved from rape by an illegal Syrian refugee and the inevitable resulting love story is also the opportunity for the girl to be exposed to the realities of the life conditions of the migrants and the life danger they encounter under the threats of fascist hooligans. A mid-age father of a boy has a one-night stand with a beautiful Swedish woman that turns into a longer relationship, just to discover that she is the manager of the restructuring program at his work place that puts his career and the careers of the people under his responsibility under threat. A housewife struggling to meet ends meets a German retiree in front of the supermarket where she cannot afford any longer buying food, starting a moving and discrete love story at the sunset of the lives of the two. None of the three stories can have a happy end in real world, and maybe this is where the film should have concluded. But it did not.
The telling of the stories is pretty fluid, in the style of the European (especially French) romantic stories with a social background. Acting is also good, all the six actors are well cast and play their roles with sincerity and emotion. It's the seventh character - the one of the aged and disappointed worker falling into extremism which deserves a special note. The name of the actor was Minas Hatzisavvas and this was his last role on screen, he died soon after the film was completed.
The three stories eventually came together, and this is were I believe, the whole structure loses originality, falling into a territory of expected and melodramatic turns of fate. While the whole Greek defiance is running high (we are several times reminded that the world may have invented economic efficiency but the Greeks invented love), this film about the crisis of the Greek individuals and the Greek family cell under pressure of crisis and having a hard time to cope with the relation with other nations in a global world, has a much too conventional American end. -
socrates996 July 2017I'm no fan of love stories but I am interested in both Greece and Europe's refugee problem and this film is as much about those as they are about love. As a DVD it seemed a choice that my wife would probably enjoy, and I was right, she loved it and so did I. It's about youth, people at the height of their careers, and love in the twilight years. Surprisingly I related strongly to all three stories which run seamlessly one into another. They're all acted beautifully with J K Simmons left as a sort of dessert with Maria Kavoyianni as the cherry.
The director, Christopher Papakaliatis, who apparently also wrote the script, deserves a real budget and a shot at the best suitable script that comes along. The evidence is abundant in this movie but the best example of it is a dressing down that happens near the end of the movie, it's wonderful.
To think of all the grief that's rained down on Greece thanks to the refugee crisis, and then to watch this compassionate Greek take on the problem makes the US response look positively juvenile. -
A wonderful movie, brilliantly written, directed, with great performances from all contributors. It touches the soul, and awakens the mind. The music beautifully colored every single scene. The most beautiful parts where those of Plaka, Athens, its narrow roads, the sunshine that hits you like a cure for every unhappiness, a promise of fulfillment. The dialogue was smart, even humorous in some parts. I would like to praise especially Maria Kavogiannis from the Greek actors'group and JK Simmons. They performed so naturally, that it was like watching them in everyday life. Their eyes, their lips, the sound of their voices, touching us with every single note. Papakaliatis, I believe, is a genius of our generation. Those aged 40 years is the generation that the crisis broke on their shoulder. They are paying for the mistakes of the previous generations and those that they participated. They are living the crisis day by day. Taking their "Lofter 50mg tabs", as the main character in the movie, a pill that never seems to help. At the end, we all raised and applauded. The theater was full from people representing all generations, younger, middle and older age. A great night for living a great theatrical experience.
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pg090928 March 2019The film is great and everybody should see it especially us greeks
BRAVO!!!! -
angie-karagounaki5 January 2016I was convinced by friends to watch this film, after complaining about its being over-hyped and over-advertised. I hoped that, at least, with the resources and critics' praise lavished upon its creator, I would see a decent, if not overwhelming film. The result was not what I expected. It was far worse.
Papakalliatis is definitely not the multitalented cinema renaissance man. He is a handsome guy, true, but he's, at best, a mediocre actor. There are a few moments of passable film direction sprinkled about, but that's about it. As a script writer, he is heavy-handed, preachy and overloads his script with exposition and pseudo-philosophical ramblings. He tries to act smart and pose as a master of symbolism, but, in his heavy and clumsy hands, symbolism is crushed to mere pretentiousness. He dishes out drama with a heavy hand, ending up with ludicrous grotesqueness. The stories, especially the first romance between the Syrian immigrant (groomed up to feel less threatening to his audience) and the daughter of the jilted old man feel rushed and incomplete. The romance of the Greek white collar worker, played by mr. Papakalliatis himself, is the self-satisfied romp , together with the classic Papakalliatis unnecessarily explicit and self-voyeuristic sex scene that we all love to hate. Only the last romance gave me a few breaths of fresh air, with moments of genuine tenderness and sensitivity, probably due to J.K Simmons' incongruously good presence. But in total, this movie is a mess made by a creator who has an overly high opinion of himself and lacks the skills to support it. -
pg090928 March 2019So rralistic movie about love,immigrants,economic realities and hardships that Greece (and other countries) passed the last few years A very good movie!!!
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ferenikim5 January 2021This film was just mesmerizing and caught me from the first moment. It has such powerful message and it illustrates so many different situations and mentallities. It teaches us that love is the greatest power of all and we all should just allowed more. Such an easy thing to do with such enormous but beautiful outcomes though. This film really touched my soul and I would recommend it to anyone. Thank you Papakaliati!
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lisauber-7312422 June 2020The reality of how some people make very ugly, destroying choices in their lives... that everybody else ends up very sadly having to live, witness and carry.. If only people like them could see this enlightening movie, maybe they could and would change ... The Ancient Greeks! were definitely The Masters of all that Greatness about God and Love xoxo
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kerryspirit29 April 2018If you like deep, emotional and still serious movies, this is the one. I am obsessed with Greece since my childhood and have lived there for many year and probably will go back one day and this was the reason why I just googled Greek movies and came across this movie and read the plot. On the background of troubled Greece without any Make up or masks these three love stories about a "second chance" goes directly not into your heart but into your "Psichi" as they say in greek into your soul. I just did not want the movie to end and this is one of the movies which will stick with me for a long long time! Fantastic! Must be one of the most wonderful movies I have seen in a LONG time!
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subxerogravity11 February 2017In a time when Greece is having some serious struggles comes three stories of people who are making romantic connections and their connections are effected by the struggle.
Some are good some are long lasting but not met to be and it would not be Greek it they didn't have a tragedy.
Thankfully JK Simmons was in this movie or I would not be able to pronounce anyone's name in this.
Funny romantic and very dramatic as the Greeks discuss the politics of what's going on in the country today while still trying to find love. Sounds very Greek, right? It was a very good movie.
http://cinemagardens.com -
mgardubas8 February 2016A lifeless, pretentious picture that might trick some viewers with its repetitious fake emotional climaxes that, near the end of the movie, when the director clearly became bored of even trying to make the script not seem as ridiculous as it is, seem almost funny. The plot is copied from way better movies such as Magnolia while the script(the message of the movie could be reduced to "people good, politicians bad")and the acting is insultingly bad (JKS obviously just wanted to go for vacation to Greece after getting his Oscar. He isn't even trying to act. he is just smiling all the time.) The soundtrack contains many songs that, while individually every one is a pleasure to listen to, are used improperly. The only aspect of the movie that makes this movie somewhat watchable is the camera-work that is quite good at parts.
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I rarely cry as the result of a good story. I cried at the end of Worlds Apart. When I cried I felt sadness and joy at the same time.
By way of the lives of three individuals, we learn about the psycho-socio impacts of the refugee crises (and new world order) on the country and people of Greece. Interwoven are the philosophies of Ancient Greek philosophers and the study of Eros and Pathos. What of these mythologies in a modern world? Will the good angels within us prevail? -
philipposathina24 December 2016Ιn spite of the economic crisis, some wonderful films have been recently released in Greece. This is one of them. Though not its target, it will make you too wonder how a country like mine has got to this mess. And perhaps it will push you to discovering it. If you do, you will even more wonder how a nation with such an amazing infrastructure and culture (neat modern cities/towns/villages with beautiful brand new buildings all over, ultra modern cultural complexes among which the unique brand new opera house-national library cultural park in Athens, fantastic museums, hospitals, science and education institutions, modern highways, sport centers etc etc and above all beautiful people+a highly educated modern young and not only generation, the country of M. Kallas, M.Mercury, N.Mouskouri,M. Theodorakis, Nober prize winners Elytis and Seferis, the country of Mykonos-Corfu-Rhodes etc) could ever find itself into such a catastrophic turmoil. This film won't answer your questions but will give you an idea of the causes. And at the same time will touch your heart with its humanistic message of how love (not any love, the specific love that the Greeks have a special name for and that is "Eros") can bring together in a magic way, persons which have learned/have been taught, that the "others" and only, never themselves, are to blame for their misery. Funny thing that though the magic of this place is not at all what the film is focusing on, anything but that, this magic is simply invincible and impossible to hide. The film is a very good one. And i mean in international standards. It will touch your heart and will make you cry even if you find the story a little unrealistic which is partly true. Yet, even if you see it as a modern fairy-tale, you will have to acknowledge that its background is absolutely realistic and true and will probably make you too revise some of your own ideas about things, like its characters do.
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andreasboub15 September 2017I must say that im not a fan of Christophoros Papakaliatis. I did watch his previous movies and i was disappointed. Well, this movie made me change my mind.
Many years have been since the director made his last movie, and "Worlds Apart" came out on the year 2015 with really high expectations. Personally, i didn't expect this (greek) masterpiece. Christoph Papakaliatis made a movie with high emotions, really good sound design and great characters. Of course the movie doesn't compete the high budget Hollywood films, but for the Greek cinema company is a big step!
Hopefully, there are going to be many other "quality" movies as this one...
I recommend this movie to the ones who want to know what is really going on today(politcs,economy etc) in Greece. -
supernouni7 May 2017What an unexpected surprise! I saw this in Toronto 2017 & can't say enough about this movie. It's thought provoking, enticing story lines, very funny (especially if you're of Greek descent) & lots of romance. It has a little bit for everyone, both genders, young & old can all relate. These are the types of movies that Hollywood is missing. Something that touches the soul and doesn't need celebrity casting. These actors are amazing! Great job to everyone involved!
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cdcrb2 February 2017spoiler alert. this is a very good movie. however, do not see it if your life is in any kind of turmoil. this is a heavy, heavy film. its three stories dealing with the current economic and political situation in Greece unfold in a very downbeat fashion. this is not pretty woman. I can't really tell you much about the three episodes because of spoiler issues. I can say that if you have been following the news about Greece, you will be fairly familiar with most of what goes on. Greece has been in politically unstable for two thousand years, at least, most recently with the coup of 1967. the economic crisis is more recent, but you should have seen it coming when Greece joined the euro brigade. a balanced budget for a country is tricky business, i.e the USA. the film is almost like a documentary, the acting is great and the proceedings all seem too real. if you are a serious movie buff, this is a must see. however, I emphasize, this is a downer, although if you love movies, you'll like this.
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iantoni21 December 2015There are not many Greek production movies that can make it to the theater with good impressions. And one should support their countrymen and their efforts. But i am deeply disappointed and angry. Reviewing this way, is of course not the Right way, cause "Anger leads to the dark side"... You all know what this is all about and where it leads. Director Christopher Papakaliatis "copy-past" and mimics scenes from foreign movies and blockbusters into his own movies. Thats that kind of money he makes and now he pushes back release dates to...sabotage? If you have a good movie, let it speak for itself. If you're afraid of competition, don't release it...
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airamcarina4 April 2017Wonderful film, full of emotions but also full of really facts about to what happen today. Excellent directing with beautiful photography and amazing music. As for the actors, they were excellent! Quite artistic without being elitist. The love stories of six different people (3 Greeks- 3 foreigners), in modern Greece at crisis, but with an global eye. Papakaliatis (director / screenwriter), managed to create absolutely real heroes, who they live among us or we identify with them. (I'm sure i know some ...). Absolutely recommend. After the closing credits i wanted to see it again!
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acid_dark29 January 2021One can see clearly negative reviews are by fascists and nationalists portrayed in this movie. Yes the migration problem was over exaggerated, but still a fantastic movie.
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"Worlds Apart" is a drama romance movie in which we watch three different stories. All of them are located in modern-day in Greece and each one represents a different generation of Greeks. The first has to do with a love affair between a young Greek girl and a foreigner, the second with a man who tries to balance his personal life with work and the fear of getting fired, and the third story has to do with a middle aged woman who is unhappy with her husband and her marriage but finds the love somewhere else.
I have to say that I expected more from this movie since it was supposed to do with the immigration problem and the economic crisis of Greece. Christopher Papakaliatis who made the direction of this movie tries to find the balance between some very important issues that exist nowadays and for many years in Greece but his overreaction is obvious in the whole duration of the film something that makes it non-realistic. Although I have to admit that I liked very much the interpretations of Maria Kavoyianni who played Maria and J.K. Simmons who played Sebastian. These interpretations were so good that I believe that they saved a part of the movie but not all of it.
To sum up, I believe that "Worlds Apart" is an average movie with a poor plot and a lot of scenes that either we have already watched in other movies or it was very easy to expect what will happen. This movie is worse than "What If" because the way it presents some things it's not the correct and proper way. It wants to be a realistic movie but it's an overreaction on some sensitive issues.