8/10
Imaginary Reality
20 February 2010
If you think this is going to be one of those sprightly bright Balkan ethnic panoramas in the superficially entertaining Kusturica mold, you're in for a surprise: Beneath all the visual pizazz and eccentric characterizations lies a deeply disturbing portrait of a society marked by physical and mental exploitation as well as moments of human kindness.

Director Hajdu spins an intriguing web of shifting and merging narrative levels of reality versus imagination, both grim and light. By doing so, he gets a better grip on the imponderability of life than most "real" social dramas put together.

Some may find the way he's handling the brothel scenes way too florid, but bear in mind the narrative's fantastic underpinnings and all fits into place.

8 out of 10 literate pimps
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