A Wonderful Night in Split (2004)
The film is set over the course of a New Year's Eve night in the Croatian port city of Split, where it follows three parallel plots. The first plot line features a small-time drug dealer Nike (Marinko Prga) and a young widow Marija (Nives Ivankovic); the second plot line deals with a drug addict called Maja (Marija Skaricic) who decides to have sex with an US Navy sailor called Franky (Coolio) in exchange for some heroin; the third one shows a young couple, Luka and Andela (Vicko Bilandzic and Ivana Roscic) who spend the night desperately looking for a place to celebrate the New Year by having their first sexual experience. The plots are connected through Dino Dvornik's concert, where all of them pass through at some point, and through the omnipresent fireworks that dot the night sky over the course of the film.
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Too much of everything
Good story, Not enough for a whole film
This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.
One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.
Set in Split, Croatia during New Year's Eve, three stories run dealing with the underworld of drugs and prostitution. Nike is a pusher and a widow named Marija is looking to escape from all of her troubles. A hooker, Maja, decides to have sex with an American sailor, Frankie(rapper Coolio), in trade for some heroin. This is the most tragic of the story lines and Coolio is surprisingly good in the part.The third and only light hearted and sentimental plot involves a couple, Luka and Vandela searching all night for a place to have their first sexual encounter. The only element connecting the three tales is an outdoor concert with fireworks in the background throughout the movie. It is shot in black and white, in keeping with the dark and pessimistic tone and ironic title. Director Arsen Ostojic shows great style in his first feature. A possible Croation Hitchcock in the making. He has definitely been influenced by Sir Alfred. My only caveat is to be prepared to be depressed by Mr. Ostojic's work.
Well-photographed and well-acted movie with a good film score from a town I haven't yet been to. Not a good occasion to delve yourself into the beauty of the city - the dizzying atmosphere of Split on New Year's Eve it does make you feel, for as much as I can judge this, but given that it's nighttime, don't watch this movie just to make up for a missed chance to visit the town (visit the town instead, if possible). I wasn't disappointed at all by this lack of tourism promotion, though. The story really is the type that holds your interest very well, as pointed out before me, and it uses cleverly messed-up chronology to interweave lives in a city where foreigners might knock on your door with indecent requests and where drugs apparently are a problem - some minor or major side-branch of the big international drugs route to Western Europe leading through it, I suppose.As to my vote: 7 out of 10 - well, it could have been 10 but for the ending. (Skip the rest of my comment if you're not interested in my otherwise non-spoiling remarks on it.) To paraphrase Hamlet, "Though this be a spoiled ending, yet there is method in't" - I can see the point made by the authors, and I wouldn't even say the ending's not fitting. If you have only seen this one instance of such an ending, it will work very well, I suppose. I have had the experience of liking a movie with this sort of ending, only to then run into comments here on IMDb telling me it's been seen before. But do watch the movie even in case you have an idea of what I'm talking about, I do recommend it.
Extraordinary sensibility for details and human behavior Mr. Ostojic, director and a writer of the film has an extraordinary talent for details. Although camera doesn't come too close to the subject, through behavior and emotional impact, situation and internal dialog as well as the tempo is an amazing journey. I was riveted to the last minute. Going back in time, made this movie more interesting, since we could see the same scene through the angel of someone else. Original as adding another layer of Film Language to the existing one. I followed Mr. Ostojic's development as an author and filmmaker. From The Bird Lover in 1993 to Life Drawing, to A Wonderful Night in Split. He is establishing himself as a mature artist. I expect only the best from him and will look for his new project with an expectation and anticipation to be as good as he's done it so far. BRAVO. Oscar is very possible.
This looked like another movie with people dying because they cannot cope with drugs, or with their emotional problems, or something. But it managed to keep my interest right up to the very last scene, and I am sorry I cannot tell you about it without spoiling it for you. I am glad I saw it, for the end left me wondering in a way I didn't expect at all.As for the technical aspects: Most of the actors were fine. I liked the black and white photography, and the rather claustrophobic way the camera follows the characters along the alleys. That, along with the overhead shots, does a lot to convey their feelings of entrapment. The structure of the script is no big news, but it works fine for me, specially the way the end presents itself. Good show!