4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
Rated: R
Runtime: 1 hour, 53 minutes
Directed by: Cristian Mungiu
Starring:
Anamaria Marinca - Otilia
Laura Vasiliu - Gabriela 'Gabita' Dragut
Vlad Ivanov - Viarel aka Domnu' Bebe
Alexandru Potocean - Adi Radu
Ion Sapdaru - Dr. Rusu
The abortion debate continues to rage in our country. It's a hot-button issue, one that's not particularly a priority when dealing with a clusterfuck of a war and a failing economy, but when the question of "Are you murdering babies?" enters the conversation, folks are bound to get a bit testy. It's been over thirty-five years since Roe v. Wade and so most women who are likely to have an unplanned pregnancy, have not lived in a world where abortion wasn't an option. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days takes us inside a recent history of 1987 Romania where abortion was outlawed and two women must go through a harrowing ordeal in order to take control of their own bodies and their own futures.
I won't go into the details of the plot because the film is intentionally shrouded in secrecy. It takes at least twenty to twenty-five minutes to even discover which of the two female leads is actually trying to get an abortion. Characters constantly have discussions where one will be talking to the other from off-screen. Everyone is cut-off from everyone and as viewers, it's captivating but also frustrating to try and see this world that's constantly keeping us at arm's length. However, there are times when this technique goes too far, as evidenced in one ten-minute scene where a character sits passively at a table while the upper-class middle-aged couples around her discuss bullshit while she's being detained from dealing with something real.
4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days doesn't stand as a pro-life or pro-choice film but more a film about human relationships and the sacrifices we make while we continue to keep others at a distance. That's not to say that abortion, the severing of the closest bond, is irrelevant, but it's an issue that would overshadow the film if not for the brilliant cinematography, direction, and strong performances of the two female leads.
Words by
Matt Goldberg
2.27.08