It is set in Romania in the modern era and is a psychological drama exploring the relationship of a couple over a seven-year period. It is based on the novel "Luminita, Mon Amour" by Cezar Paul Badescu.
Toma (Mircea Postelnicu) and Ana (Diana Cavallioti) at the beginning of the film are university students in the literature program where they meet. It becomes evident that Ana suffers from panic attacks and has significant unresolved psychological problems that include her step-father and a biological father who has disappeared. Toma is passionately drawn to her and they begin an intense relationship. Neither his upper-class parents nor her lower-class parents approve of the relationship, which only attaches Toma to Ana more strongly.
As time passes Ana becomes pregnant and they both explore psychological and religious answers to what is assumed to be Ana's issues. This includes a remarkable confession scene when Toma visits the local Orthodox priest. We see Toma's encounters with his psychoanalyst and know that Ana is also visiting a psychoanalyst, but the perspective is from Toma's view. After about three years they are married and their son, Tudor, is growing. Toma is still the breadwinner and Ana remains mostly at home. We begin to note that Toma has control issues.
As their son, Tudor becomes a bit older, Ana has become more confident and independent. Toma has walked away from his job as a newspaper journalist, and Ana has found her own well-paying position as an editor. Toma becomes more controlling and paranoid leading to the collapse of their relationship.
This was a very good, albeit intense, film in my mind. It got somewhat mixed reviews, especially compared to the director's first film. It was a bit hard to track the timing of some scenes--the only way to track it is to see how Toma's hairline changes from student to journalist to a man with thinning hair talking to his analyst. The time jumps are somewhat confusing.
The movie includes significant nudity including a difficult scene when Ana has overdosed on her medication.
Toma (Mircea Postelnicu) and Ana (Diana Cavallioti) at the beginning of the film are university students in the literature program where they meet. It becomes evident that Ana suffers from panic attacks and has significant unresolved psychological problems that include her step-father and a biological father who has disappeared. Toma is passionately drawn to her and they begin an intense relationship. Neither his upper-class parents nor her lower-class parents approve of the relationship, which only attaches Toma to Ana more strongly.
As time passes Ana becomes pregnant and they both explore psychological and religious answers to what is assumed to be Ana's issues. This includes a remarkable confession scene when Toma visits the local Orthodox priest. We see Toma's encounters with his psychoanalyst and know that Ana is also visiting a psychoanalyst, but the perspective is from Toma's view. After about three years they are married and their son, Tudor, is growing. Toma is still the breadwinner and Ana remains mostly at home. We begin to note that Toma has control issues.
As their son, Tudor becomes a bit older, Ana has become more confident and independent. Toma has walked away from his job as a newspaper journalist, and Ana has found her own well-paying position as an editor. Toma becomes more controlling and paranoid leading to the collapse of their relationship.
This was a very good, albeit intense, film in my mind. It got somewhat mixed reviews, especially compared to the director's first film. It was a bit hard to track the timing of some scenes--the only way to track it is to see how Toma's hairline changes from student to journalist to a man with thinning hair talking to his analyst. The time jumps are somewhat confusing.
The movie includes significant nudity including a difficult scene when Ana has overdosed on her medication.