Why Me? (2015)

Wonderfully offbeat film!

brilliant actors, brilliant editing

It is not only a funny movie, but it allows a great amount of joy for anyone who watches it.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I think Romanian cinema would benefit from depicting more movies about professional, normal people rather than dysfunctional ones.In some sense, probably cinema is also a mirror of society. Since "corruption" is a subject nowadays in Romania, "Why me?" approaches this subject.I think the movie describes pertinently the influence of the superiors on the prosecutor, their attitude of bullying into getting what they wanted-a mock up trial on other prosecutor so that their material interests would survive, the harassment he is subject to. The question is what to do-to acquiesce or to stand ground? A similar moral dilemma has the policeman in the movie "Police,adjective" and similar harassment suffers "Serpico" .However the movie lacks on two points: 1) it does not show the descent or turmoil of the protagonist which usually accompany up to the final act. He is mostly calm or self-assured up to the end, in contrast with the tragedy of his final act. 2) it does not show what is the origin of his moral conscience. Was it influence of some people, did it come from his own study and reflections? Also, what principles does he support?

When I started watching this movie I wasn't expecting too much, but in the end it really impressed me.The reality of the case was the best part of it and the fact that underlines what's happening in Romania and how rotten is the system. That fact that they chose to make a movie about a controversial case, shows that there are still people ready to change the system, but still, Cristian Panduru was one of those people and the movie shows what happened to him.This movie is a good lesson, not only for Romanian people, but also for everyone. Is about not letting yourself be corrupted by the system and keep your true values, because in the end that's what matters. I strongly recommend this movie.

My expectations about this movie were low, because i'm sick of law/cop/prosecutors Hollywood crap, but i was surprised."Why me" has strong acting and an interesting story, especially because is a real story. We are introduced in year 2002, 13 years after the revolution in Romania and the fall of communism. But for the judicial system of this country, is like there was no revolution. In the highest level of Prosecutor Office there is still that smell of socialism. The Securitate(secret police which served the Communist party, something like the German STASI)is still there, but now is renamed SRI, some ex-securitate officers now rule the country as politicians, and the old corrupted/repressive prosecutors are still in charge.Add a young, honest and competent prosecutor in all that mess and you've a good movie, worth watching.I'll give it a 7 out of 10 because i wanted to see more depth. Also, character progression seemed a Little bit hard to believe, like they were skipping some scenes.

I've just watched this fine example of a gritty Noir at Berlinale. I'm a lousy movie critic, but just to give you an idea: think "Chinatown", minus the sun-drenched California landscape. The protagonist has to fight various factions, and gets to feel like being but a pawn in a game bigger than him. The setting is Romania, in 2002, it is gritty, dark, and pretty gray, for the most part. Quite atmospheric, and realistic - chillingly so, as a lot of the plot was informed by real events, as the director confirmed during a Q&A after the viewing. The cinematography and color palette is just right for the occasion, the camera is often close to the characters. The actors do a fine job in my book. I recommend this movie, and I'm curious to see what it'll stir up in Romania once it is released there.