Movie Review: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

Grim Romanian abortion dramas are always going to be a tough box-office sell, but 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days arrives in the UK loaded with so much acclaim that it could become 2008's first breakthrough arthouse hit.

It was the winner of the Palme d'Or at last year's Cannes Film Festival, and expect it to show up on the Oscar shortlist in a couple of weeks. It's set in the Communist Romania of the mid-80s and focuses upon two teenage girls, one of whom is pregnant and is forced to seek out a cruel backstreet abortionist.

It's hard for filmmakers to tackle such a contentious issue without making judgements on their characters. But to the credit of director Cristian Mungiu he's more interested in observing the oppressive social situation that forced his two protagonists into their risky venture than discussing the rights and wrongs of abortion.

He films in an observational, ultra-realistic style, and every scene is shot in a single, often static take. The flawless performances of Anamaria Marinca and Laura Vasiliu give Mungiu’s scripted dialogue a naturalistic, improvised feel.

Although the subject matter is very different, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days is reminiscent of Michael Haneke's acclaimed thriller Hidden in its sense of chilling realism and oppressive dread. It really makes 80s Romania look like a truly awful place to live, but the tension that Mungiu builds by setting this story in a 24-hour period keeps things gripping. Superb stuff, but don't expect a Michael Bay remake any time soon.