‘Kontinental ’25’ Review: Radu Jude Plays It Straight but Retains His Bite in a Scorching Moral Parable

by

In a run-down amusement park on Cluj’s outskirts, a homeless man wanders along overgrown paths, scavenging for discarded items or valuables, seemingly unaware of the faded animatronic dinosaurs that emit tinny roars as he passes. This scene epitomizes the tension between comedy and sadness, the ordinary and the peculiar, reality and illusion, which is central to Radu Jude‘s remarkable film “Kontinental ’25.” In this production, the acclaimed Romanian writer-director tones down his recent avant-garde style to portray the world as it truly exists, yet still leaves space for the inexplicable. An outdated, cheap Jurassic Park offers no thrill in this harsh criticism of deteriorating social welfare in a post-socialist society: Humanity is more than capable of preying on itself.

After the 2023 release of “Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World,” a complex, eccentric workplace satire that lasted almost three hours, the upcoming film “Kontinental ’25” might appear to be an unusually straightforward project from a director known for his challenging and unique works. However, nothing about this movie is simple – from its biting anger to its intricate political and historical commentary to a heart-wrenching scene of human despair that lingers in the minds of both the film’s troubled protagonist and the viewer alike. It’s unlikely that art house distributors who have supported controversial films like “Do Not Expect…” or “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn” would turn down this grittier, yet equally impactful title, marking it as his third film to premiere in Berlin’s main competition.

The title “Kontinental ’25” draws parallels with the 1951 film “Europe ’51” by Roberto Rossellini. In “Europe ’51”, Ingrid Bergman portrayed a cold, wealthy wife of an industrialist, who underwent a transformation towards humanitarianism following personal loss. Similarly, in “Kontinental ’25”, the protagonist Orsolya (played by Eszter Tompa), experiences a downward spiral after witnessing a stranger’s suicide. This event leads her to grapple with guilt over her role in state capitalism and worsening housing issues. Like Bergman’s character, Orsolya seeks redemption, but her attempts are flawed and self-centered. Unlike the satirical tone of “Europe ’51”, “Kontinental ’25” is more pessimistic, suggesting that individual actions have little impact on systemic inequality.

The movie begins at a dilapidated dinosaur park, where we find ourselves accompanying Ion (played by Gabriel Spahiu), a homeless man, as he ambles through the streets and alleyways of Transylvania’s unofficial capital. He earns meager wages by picking up trash, solicits change from outdoor diners, and eventually reaches his abode – a gloomy, underground boiler room in an elegant city apartment building. The length of his stay there is unknown, but it has come to an end: Orsolya (a woman who has previously warned him) arrives with an eviction notice, offering to find him shelter accommodation if he leaves immediately. She advises the policemen assisting her that kindness should be shown to people. After giving Ion 20 minutes to gather his belongings, during which time we witness a heart-wrenching scene where the destitute man tragically takes his own life by hanging from a radiator using steel wire.

The vivid image lingers in the mind of the observer and seems tough to dismiss. This is evident in the days following the event as Orsolya, left speechless, finds herself recounting it to anyone willing to lend an ear. This includes her empathetic friend Dorina (Mardare Oana), her mother (Annamária Biluska) with a harder exterior, and even her priest (Serban Pavlu) who comfortingly tells her that she should not feel guilty since everyone has sinned. Yet, Orsolya is not eased at work, where her colleagues commend her for being “more than humane” in performing her duties, though this validation fails to soothe her troubled conscience. Instead, Orsolya feels a persistent guilt that her job itself was the source of the initial problem.

Stumbling across delivery rider Fred (Adonis Tanta, delivering an electrifying, focus-grabbing performance) unexpectedly stirred me in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. Fred, a former student from my days as a law professor, provided an unusual response to my emotional turmoil – a blend of Zen-like wisdom and irreverent nihilism that momentarily lifted me out of self-pity. The reasons behind my career shift remain unexplored in the narrative, yet they symbolize a broader societal trend favoring profit over principles. Tompa’s exceptional acting portrays the improved version of myself I aspire to become, evident in her heartfelt, introspective expressions of sorrow, but this integrity is sometimes obscured by flippancy and self-satisfaction. A temporary respite from my perpetual frown comes when I make a charitable donation through Revolut – a moral burst of joy, if you will – yet the clouds quickly gather on my brow once more.

In Jude’s typical style, “Kontinental ’25” is filled with delightful connections to a variety of texts, some subtly hinted at more than “Europe ’51.” There’s a clever structural reference to “Psycho,” marked by an abrupt change in focus that playfully suggests Orsolya as a potential murderer. Simultaneously, she briefly tunes into the grisly 1945 noir film “Detour” on TV, a stark contrast featuring strangulation and troubled conscience. Yet, Jude’s contemporary filmmaking is distinctively modern. Filmed swiftly and spontaneously on an iPhone, the visuals are raw and intentionally unattractive, deliberately avoiding Cluj’s picturesque allure, as can be seen by the poster for the upcoming release “We Live in Time” glimpsed briefly in one scene’s background.

The film “Kontinental ’25” focuses significantly on the city’s abundance of new construction projects, all unrelated to providing housing for the less fortunate, and on urban statues of forgotten leaders, overshadowed by the concrete and steel of progress. This movie serves as a poignant depiction of human suffering, yet it also captures a city that is fractured and tormented, much like Rossellini’s Rome. It can be seen as Jude’s interpretation of neo-realism for an era marked by absurdity.

Read More

2025-02-20 00:50