By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Calin Peter Netzer
Starring: Bogdan Dumitrache | Florin Zamfirescu | Ilinca Goia | Luminita Gheorghiu | Natasa Raab | Vlad Ivanov
Original language title: Pozitia copilului
Country: romania
Year: 2014
Running time: 112
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2187115/combined
Bruce says: “Luminita Gheorghiu (4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, 2 DAYS; 12:08 EAST OF BUCHAREST; THE DEATH OF MR. LAZARESCU; BEYOND THE HILLS has to be one of the first ladies of the Romanian silver screen, yet none of her prior roles can hold a candle to Cornelia Keneres, a Bucharest doyen for whom success, prosperity and social position just aren’t enough. She is a chronic complainer and her main target is her son Barbu (Bogdan Dumitrache), an only child with whom she has a fractious relationship.
“In an opening scene her sister Olga (Natasa Raab) reminds her, ‘I told you to have two children.’ Had Cornelia had two, the chances of one child turning out to her liking would have been fifty/fifty. She feels that Barbu is a failure professionally and that Barbu’s girlfriend Carmen (Ilinca Goia) is beneath his station. Barbu and Carmen avoid his parents as best they can. The severity of the estrangement is evident when Cornelia pumps the maid for ridiculous information such as what novels are on his bedside table.
“Cornelia is at an avant-garde musical event when her sister unexpectedly arrives and motions for her to leave. ‘Barbu ran over a child,’ Olga tells her. The accident has occurred in a small village. Soon after Olga and Cornelia arrive at the police station it is obvious who will be in charge. Cornelia orders the men and women around, insults them, and tells them how to do their job. Her commands come from a sense of entitlement so great it is unquestionably delusional. Cornelia’s political connections are immediately made known and the minions creating the file on the accident defer to her suggestions in spite of their obvious rancor.
“When Barbu is brought in for questioning he admits to going over the speed limit. Immediately Cornelia insists his statement be revised to say he was going 110 km/hr., the maximum allowed. Since the primary witness has already testified he was going 110 km/hr. as Barbu passed him and hit the child, Cornelia has her work cut out. Now she must tamper with previously documented testimony. Undaunted, she also demands, ‘The parents must withdraw complaint.’ Both the police and close friends tell her that her whole family must go to the child’s funeral to demonstrate compassion as a first step towards making that happen. Barbu is uncooperative and refuses. His feelings toward his mother may be his undoing. In her presence Barbu is paralyzed by her bullying and belittling. Cornelia views her behavior as loving and caring. It is a gigantic gap in perception.
“Gheorghiu creates her character with such force and conviction it was no surprise to read in an interview with director Neltzer that she was difficult during the filming. ‘There was a tension between us. For example, she greeted me in a way before and during the shooting like Cornelia was treating Barbu. That’s how deep she was going into the character. Of course I had to play Barbu because I couldn’t spoil her game.’ Thank heavens for that. Hers is a performance that is a gem from start to finish. 4.5 cats”