| News Items: |
| Headlines |
| News Briefs |
| Stories |
| Movies |
| Word To Life |
| More News: |
| Vatican |
| Africa |
| Special Sections: |
| 2006 in review |
| Inside the Curia |
| Archives: |
| Vatican II at 40 |
| John Paul II |
| Other Items: |
| Client Area |
| Links |
| Origins |
| Movie Review |
|
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu By David DiCerto Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- As you might surmise from its funereal title, "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu" (Tartan) is hardly a comedy. Like Tolstoy's "The Death of Ivan Ilych," the trenchant Romanian drama traces the final exit of its protagonist. Only here, the ending is not tempered by hope and the real tragedy is how he is treated by those who are supposed to provide comfort and palliative care. Directed by Cristi Puiu, the film follows the all-night odyssey of 62-year-old Dante Lazarescu (Ion Fiscuteanu) as he is shuttled from one hospital to the next, where he encounters indifference and insensitivity from the doctors and medical staff while seeking help for his deteriorating condition. Lazarescu's first name proves apt as the night unfolds into a hellish tour of Bucharest's emergency rooms, with only Luminita (Mioara Avram), a compassionate ambulance driver, to plead his case at each stop. Deliberately paced, filmed with an unvarnished look and featuring understated performances, Puiu's perceptive commentary on health care, in charting Lazarescu's plight, poignantly brings attention to how uncaring bureaucracy and societal apathy can depreciate the dignity of a human being. Subtitles. The film contains some rough and crude language and brief partial nudity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. - - - DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies. END Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
| FIND A MOVIE |
|
Looking for a movie review? |