DVD Review - The Death of Mr. Lazerescu
I have heard that some people call director Cristi Puiu's extraordinary film a "black comedy." And while the film is quite dark and there is humor running throughout I would hesitate to call it a comedy. To me it is more like a tragedy.
Mr. Lazerescu (Ion Fiscuteanu), who lives in Bucharest, is a man who is in his early to mid sixties (although he looks older). He is a widower who lives with three cats that he adores. His only child, a daughter, is married and lives in Canada. His sister does not live in Bucharest but in another city that is quite a distance away.
Mr. Lazerescu has not felt well for several days. He has severe headaches and throws up a good deal of the time. Many years ago he had ulcer surgery but despite this he continues to drink alcohol. As his condition worsens he calls an ambulance to take him to the hospital. He has to call several times before one arrives. During the wait he asks the couple who live next door for assistance. They don't mind giving him a bit of help but neither one of them like his cats.
When paramedic Mioara Avram (Luminita Gheorghiu) arrives Lazerescu is in the bathroom and has taken a tumble into the bathtub. They finally get him into the ambulance but that is when the trouble really begins. One hospital after another (I counted that they went to four) refuses to treat him. Because of a terrible accident they all claim that they have no time for him. The first hospital refuses to do anything and berates him for drinking. The second one takes some tests but tells him that it would be hours until he can get the operation that he needs immediately. At the third one he refuses to sign the release form but that is because he is slipping in dementia. At the last hospital they prep him for surgery because by that time he is totally out of it. The paramedic is one of the few people in the film who has any compassion. And she is treated in a very condescending manner because she is "only" a nurse.
Puiu gives this film the feel of a documentary and that is how his screenplay appears to be written (his co-writer is Razvan Radulescu). The film was shot in real time and you are there with the patient every step of the way. Veteran Rumanian actor Fiscuteanu is excellent as a man who sees his life fading away. And everyone else in the cast is very good.
The film is almost two and a half hours long and I don't know how American audiences will react to it. I hope that they would want to see this film because it is so real and something like this can happen anywhere in the world (something similar happened in Romania in which a man was turned away from six hospitals and then left in the street by the paramedic only to die). It is a film that will make you sad and angry at the same time and make you want to change the medical system in this country (as I am sure that people in Rumania want to change their system).
This is the first of six films that Puiu wants to make on the various types of love (all of which will take place in Bucharest - this reminds me a bit of Krzysztof Kieslowski's Decalogue) and this one focuses on a man's (or woman's love of his/her fellow man (or woman). And for the most part there was no love.
One last thing - the ending is a bit strange. I drew my own conclusions from it and you will too. But just bear in mind the title of the film and know that there can only be one outcome. I highly recommend this film to those who want to see an outstanding piece of world cinema. And I certainly look forward to Puiu's next tale of love.
Mr. Lazerescu (Ion Fiscuteanu), who lives in Bucharest, is a man who is in his early to mid sixties (although he looks older). He is a widower who lives with three cats that he adores. His only child, a daughter, is married and lives in Canada. His sister does not live in Bucharest but in another city that is quite a distance away.
Mr. Lazerescu has not felt well for several days. He has severe headaches and throws up a good deal of the time. Many years ago he had ulcer surgery but despite this he continues to drink alcohol. As his condition worsens he calls an ambulance to take him to the hospital. He has to call several times before one arrives. During the wait he asks the couple who live next door for assistance. They don't mind giving him a bit of help but neither one of them like his cats.
When paramedic Mioara Avram (Luminita Gheorghiu) arrives Lazerescu is in the bathroom and has taken a tumble into the bathtub. They finally get him into the ambulance but that is when the trouble really begins. One hospital after another (I counted that they went to four) refuses to treat him. Because of a terrible accident they all claim that they have no time for him. The first hospital refuses to do anything and berates him for drinking. The second one takes some tests but tells him that it would be hours until he can get the operation that he needs immediately. At the third one he refuses to sign the release form but that is because he is slipping in dementia. At the last hospital they prep him for surgery because by that time he is totally out of it. The paramedic is one of the few people in the film who has any compassion. And she is treated in a very condescending manner because she is "only" a nurse.
Puiu gives this film the feel of a documentary and that is how his screenplay appears to be written (his co-writer is Razvan Radulescu). The film was shot in real time and you are there with the patient every step of the way. Veteran Rumanian actor Fiscuteanu is excellent as a man who sees his life fading away. And everyone else in the cast is very good.
The film is almost two and a half hours long and I don't know how American audiences will react to it. I hope that they would want to see this film because it is so real and something like this can happen anywhere in the world (something similar happened in Romania in which a man was turned away from six hospitals and then left in the street by the paramedic only to die). It is a film that will make you sad and angry at the same time and make you want to change the medical system in this country (as I am sure that people in Rumania want to change their system).
This is the first of six films that Puiu wants to make on the various types of love (all of which will take place in Bucharest - this reminds me a bit of Krzysztof Kieslowski's Decalogue) and this one focuses on a man's (or woman's love of his/her fellow man (or woman). And for the most part there was no love.
One last thing - the ending is a bit strange. I drew my own conclusions from it and you will too. But just bear in mind the title of the film and know that there can only be one outcome. I highly recommend this film to those who want to see an outstanding piece of world cinema. And I certainly look forward to Puiu's next tale of love.
posted by Film Fanatic | 3:50 PM
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