inkblot11 Review of Knjiga rekorda Sutke

Knjiga rekorda Sutke (2005)

So-so film, despite the winning spirit of the people of Shuska

[5/10 · 21 March 2007]

In a small city in Macedonia, there are record holders, believe it or not. One man has the best collection of tape recordings, another one is the best vampire hunter for miles around. As the narrator of the film goes from story to story, one sees the indomitable spirit of a city in the former Yugoslavia, a city that is not exactly prosperous but is rich in color. From the gentleman who has the most suits to the septegenarian with a toddler son, here is a telling of the weird and mundane tales that make life an adventure. This is just an okay movie at best, despite the diverse inhabitants of the town. Perhaps it is the script, as the stories keep coming, with no intersection and no pizazz. That is not to say that the film is unwatchable, only that the viewer may tire of the movie before reaching the end. For those of you who like offbeat films with an eye for the bizarre journey we call life, try to find this foreign film. One can even see a teacher showing part of the movie to her students, then letting them write their own "world records" for the classroom. But, as a landmark cinematic achievement, this one falls far short of its goal.