dromasca This is one of the earlier movies of director and script-writer Cristi Puiu who has already earned an important place in the new Romanian cinema. His last movie 'Moartea Domnului Lazarescu' has won him international recognition, but we can already identify here some of the themes in his work and also interesting elements of directing.The story is quire simple, two young man and a woman make what seems to be a illegal transport (probably drugs) from the sea city of Constanta to Bucharest on behalf of some mafia types. They are vaguely aware that this is an illegal and possibly dangerous mission, but the money they get (2000 dollars) is a small fortune in Romania. The film simply tells the story of their trip, and only the final scenes put what happens in a broader context and tells something about the implication of what seems to be some banal traffic for what will be later their lives. This is simple, it is told in not too many details, but makes a strong impression.Much of the film is a road story, reminding at some point 'U-Turn' or 'Duel', one of the very early movies of Spielberg. The director uses an interesting trick, he seems to let his young actors to improvise most of the time, and uses live sound caption, which makes the scenes in the car interesting although hard to understand (and I am a native Romanian speaker) and despite the fact that not too much happens. The rest of the movie presents the sordid life of simple people in Romania trying to cope with the transition of the system from communism to a free economy and political system, wit the tone of sincerity and critical yet sympathetic approach which will become a mark of the later films of Cristi Puiu. The film is certainly an interesting start for what will become I believe the road of a great director.

micron_rt I din't know why you people are praising this movie! You call this an enjoyable? For me it seems to be an ordinary day among the ghetto people. An young man who gave up on college after the 2nd year, live with his parents. A (drug-dealer?) "businesman" asked him to take a "medicine" package to Bucharest for two thousand dollars and he accepted without knowing too much about what he is caring. In his way to destination he, his friend and friend's girlfriend have to face some troubles including an attack from some strange guys which later mysteriously disappeared. The package is successfully delivered and the attackers were found killed. Maybe there was indeed a very natural acting, but it is a total mess to spend a lot of time watching them talking nothings or observe meaningless goings-on (beside the main plot). In the end, what I can say is that most of us can produce such "masterpieces" - just film a ordinary day from your life and here it is!

horatiu31 I seen on top 250 a lot of movies which are considered masterpieces, but they are just very good, if not stupid. This movie is very simple, but an incredible suspense-film, with perfect acting. The sound is bad because of very low budget, and also because the sound is produced at the same time with the image. In fact, the movie follow the set of rules confirmed by DOGMA 95. Often, people like to consider that great movies are complex, complicated, hard to understand, etc. I think this is a mistake. Marfa si banii is a great movie, and let's not exagerate with the subevaluation! 10/10

cinefilu ***SPOILER***"Marfa si banii" is a two-leveled movie. The first level may be considered the plot, that in the first 40 minutes makes "Marfa si banii" a movie full of suspense that keeps the public interested. After this moment, the film "moves" slowly to a good, simple, but solid drama.The second level is one full of symbols: although the two friends escaped some severall dangers and saved their lives, at the end of the picture, we realise that the only important thing to save are their counsteinceness, because, after all, that is what matters in live( this is only one of the things that the writers are trying to say). In the same time, "Marfa si banii" tries to show what happens when the willing to make money fast and easy is beyond reason, and also tries to show what, why and how it happens to young men who choose this way, especially in Romania, but not only.This is a well-acted movie, very ingenuous,using some simple technics, because "the simplity is the mother of the elegance"; considering it's a low-budget picture, it came out great. The movie can be criticised for some technical effects(for example, the sound department is just terrible). As for the content of the bag,(what bag? watch the movie and You'll find out) it remains as mysterious as the faith of the two friends, that seem not to have a choise, but the possibility of doing something good lays in us all, right?(another ideea from the movie).I must specify that, after reading this review, you might think this is a great work of art and then see the movie and realise it's just a good movie.I think it desirves a 6.