SummarySilviu has only two weeks left before his release from a hostile juvenile detention center. But when his mother, who abandoned him long ago, returns to take his younger brother away - a brother Silviu raised like a son – those two weeks become an eternity. While his outcries for help fall on deaf ears, he finds himself mercilessly taunted and har... Read More
Directed By:Florin Serban
Written By:Cãtãlin Mitulescu, Florin Serban, Andreea Valean
If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle
Metascore
Generally Favorable
64
User score
Mixed or Average
5.8
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
64
50% Positive
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
50% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Jan 10, 2011
80
Offers an introduction to the lean-and-mean, social-realist Romanian storytelling style that's built around a charismatic young actor and a familiar genre.
Jan 8, 2011
75
Set in a barren juvenile detention center, the movie works as a grueling coming-of-age story, linking it to the likes of "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days," even if it lacks the same lasting appeal.
Jan 5, 2011
75
Whistle is the feature debut of director-writer Florin Serban, who studied at Columbia University and lists among his influences Robert Bresson, Pedro Almodovar, Bruno Dumont and Ken Loach.
Jan 10, 2011
60
The accessible story and fast-paced action scenes could draw a good arthouse audience, more than usual for a Romanian film.
Jan 5, 2011
60
As the movie becomes more explosive - and more demanding of its cast - it loses some of the quiet, careful intensity that made Silviu's situation worth attending to in the first place. The seams of the narrative start to show, and by the end you are more aware of the filmmakers' ideas than of the character's life.
Jan 4, 2011
60
Despite the faux-realist aesthetic (gritty handheld camerawork; all-natural sound), we never feel like much is at stake, though Pistereanu and Condeescu have an easygoing rapport that makes the quieter moments between them affecting.
Jan 7, 2011
40
A steady thrum of anger pervades this Romanian film even in its quietest moments, but the ending and captured-lost-boys setting ultimately fail to surprise.
User score
Mixed or Average
5.8
50% Positive
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
50% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Mar 20, 2023
7
An attractive film from Romanian cinema directed by "Florin Serban" which will definitely always be remembered. This movie is in the "prison drama" sub-genre, where many movies have been made in this sub-genre, and this movie is undoubtedly one of the best of them. I am eager to see all the other films of this director. One of the good things about the movie is the lack of soundtrack, which definitely reduces the heat and intensity of the movie scenes. Great acting and the use of convicts in their role is very interesting. A drama that seems to arrange everything in peace, but suddenly all the peace turns into a strange violence.
Mar 22, 2024
6
A sad drama. It is not the best movie I seen, but it feels like Theathre some times.
Production Company:
- Strada Film
- Film i Väst
- The Chimney Pot
- Romanian National Center for Cinematography
- Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)
- The Post Republic
- BV McCann-Erickson
- Sveriges Television (SVT)
- TVR
Release Date:Jan 5, 2011
Duration:1 h 34 m
Website:
Awards
Gopo Awards, Romania
• 8 Wins & 13 Nominations
Berlin International Film Festival
• 2 Wins & 3 Nominations
Cinemanila International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
