With the release of “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days,” Romania has been put on the cinematic map as a place worthy of more than just stereotypical vampire lore.
Having won the coveted Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival this year, “4 Months” follows 24 hours in the life of two college students living under the communist regime in Romania in the 1980s.
Sounds like some sort of social commentary revealing the hardships of such a limiting social system, right? Wrong. Because there’s one little catch that causes some big problems ““ abortion is illegal, and Gabita (Laura Vasiliu) needs one.
The beginning of the film follows Otilia (Anamaria Marinca), Gabita’s best friend, through a college dormitory, revealing different scenes of life in the dorms ““ students busily studying for exams and trading black-market items such as Kent cigarettes and Tic-Tacs. Despite how far-removed this time and place is from us, this opening scene is relatable and endearing: These are just regular college kids.
As the rest of the students study for exams, Gabita prepares for her abortion with the help of Otilia, who tells her to pack “like you’re going camping.” Although this mission is beyond dangerous, in terms of both the medical and legal risks, Gabita still wonders if she should take her notes from class. Otilia says she probably won’t be needing them ““ an ominous premonition the audience can only hope does not come to fruition.
Director Cristian Mungiu strings along the audience with never-ending cuts and daring shots of the ensuing action. He never gives too much away, adding to a suspense that hovers over the entire film.
Vasiliu delivers a heartbreaking performance as this young, frightened girl who conveys her feeling of utter dread so convincingly, the audience feels weighed down by her burden as well. The lack of music and stark cinematography of the bleak Romanian urban landscape contributes to a doomed ambiance, but this lack of pretension makes the film that much more captivating.
Prodding that budding feeling of dread, the film’s horrifying villain comes in the form of the abortionist ““ Mr. Bebe (Vlad Ivanov). As if going underground for a potentially deadly procedure weren’t hard enough, Bebe establishes himself as a terrifying presence in a film that is already wrought with unease. Captured by humble cinematography that allows for his evilness to manifest with astonishing clarity, the scenes with Bebe make for a stressfully suspenseful (to say the least) half hour.
A subplot involving Otilia and her relationship with her bougie boyfriend, who “just doesn’t understand,” brilliantly contrasts her situation with Gabita’s ““ but instead of being a welcome break from the density of continuous tension between the two friends, a scene where Otilia dines at his family’s house is cringe-worthy for the party’s superficial oblivion.
“4 Months” is a challenging film to watch because of its blunt portrayal of the bleakness of the human condition ““ and for that reason, the payoff is that much more rewarding.