EVERYBODY IN OUR FAMILY ( Radu Jude,2012): Romanian

Reviewed by Tarence Glasker. Viewed on November 3 at the AFI Filmfest 2012.

Everybody in our family is not your average family love story. Matter of fact its far from that. Serban Paulu cast as the father of Sofia Nicolarscu and ex husban of Mihaela Sirbu. The director Radu Jude uses a canted frame and high angle  cinematography shot by Andre Butica. Coming into this movie you would think its a normal day for a father to take his young daughter out for a trip until anger starts to build up in the house hold. As the day goes on the father finds him self deeper and deeper into trouble until he reaches a breaking point. Turning his first problem of having his daughter for the day to escaping the police and keeping his name honest. Watching this film it brings you through all of Serbans past emotions making you feel his pain as a father although actions speak louder than words in this movie.

Serban starts his troubles in the movie when he hits the stepfather with the door after he was refused to enter into the house to pick up Sofia for the reason of her being sick at the time. But of course Serban takes his response as a lie to keep him away from his own daughter causing Serban to have his first out burst to start the conflict. When Sofias mother comes home Serban is put to another test of facing the cops after Mihaela calls them for domestic violence to kick him out the house. Although Serban just dosent want to leave and feels he haves a point to make before he does. A man whose suppose to be a family man after he explains to his ex wife he’s saved by god and is religious now, becomes the most violent one in the house. Sofia plays as the only Innocence left in the house as she is to young to understand whats really going on. As you will also find out Mihaela is not perfect her self as she is put into the spot light about her secret affairs with the man who is now called her new husband.

I feel this film explains a good story of showing you that young family’s of today’s world are not all perfect. In fact every family haves their secrets, some bigger than others but over all the only innocence and balance in a house hold is the children. Children bring love and warmth to a house that many parents would sacrifice and come together for just to keep that balance. And that’s what I’ve witnessed  as i watched Serban sacrifice all the time he had just to fight back for his family.