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Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, United Kingdom · 2010
1h 53m
Director Danis Tanović
Starring Miki Manojlović, Mira Furlan, Boris Ler, Jelena Stupljanin
Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
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After the dissolution of Yugoslavia, Divko returns to his small hometown in Bosnia. Arriving in a shiny new Mercedes with a much younger new girlfriend, he clashes with the family he hasn't seen in twenty years and frantically searches for his beloved cat against the tense backdrop growing political unrest.
"No Man's Land" director Danis Tanovic, adapting a novel by Ivica Djikic, also returns to his roots with this decidedly old-fashioned, quasi-satirical drama that is a bit on the nose with its indictments of post-communist animosities and opportunism.
The tongue is in cheek and the tone is ironic and bleak, at least until the should-we-stay-or-should-we-go climax punctures the mood. Still, welcome back, Danis.
Slant Magazine by Diego Semerene
Its lightheartedness and overtly traditional narrative structure become a smart strategy for crafting what is ultimately a very nuanced political critique of capital.
New York Daily News by Joe Neumaier
Director Danis Tanovic never undersells the anger and tension in the family, yet while the emotional underpinnings feel raw, much of "Cirkus" also winds up spinning 'round to obvious, if uncomfortable, places.
Like its characters, who can't believe their stable nation could be threatened by ethnic unrest, Cirkus Columbia looks to the past, evoking the kind of unreal, vaguely politicized tales that were once the lifeblood of arthouse cinema.
The New York Times by Stephen Holden
Half of the time, the movie - based on a novel by Ivica Dikic, who collaborated with Mr. Tanovic on the screenplay - has the tone and pace of a farce. The other half, it plays like an unconvincing melodrama. The film assumes knowledge about the history and politics of the former Yugoslavia and the wars involved in its breakup that most Americans don't possess.
A family getting evicted from its home is no laughing matter, except if you're watching Cirkus Columbia, a satiric comedy from, of all places, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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