Valami Amerika (2002) User Reviews

Good, good, but too much advertisements

[raszi · 8/10 · 4 May 2002]

This movie is the best one of the new hungarian movies. It's full with new faces, and unfortunately full with advertisements. Under the movie, you must see twice every clips and bands, who sponsored this film.

I don't think, that wasn't unavoidable.

Harm...

Never boring

[Mort-31 · 6/10 · 31 July 2002]

I agree with meitschi and her comment from 7 April 2002 in practically every point. Although there is not a single song in the movie dissimilar to some world hit already heard (or to another song in the film), I also felt the impulse to clap my hands.

This was just a jaunty little movie with young actors I had never heard of before (as I do not live in Hungary and cannot watch Hungarian television) but who were all at least okay. Especially Tibor Szervet impressed me because if I didn't have known from the start, I could have believed him to be an American producer. Not one second it bored me, although it is quite long compared to other TV-ish ensemble comedies.

After watching the movie, my aunt asked me to fill in a lotto coupon. I ticked off 90, 89, 88, 87 and 86

Wish this were available in the US

[Oedi · 9/10 · 23 September 2003]

I picked up this little gem on a trip to Budapest this summer and brought it home to the states trusting that it would be good (I have yet to be disappointed with a single Hungarian film). Surprise, surprise -- it was great. This movie had me rolling with laughter, but I got so much more from it than just comedy. As an American I found it incredibly interesting in the context of a Hungarian insight into US cultural imperialism. In particular Andras (played wonderfully by Hujber Ferenc) was a sort of barometer of Hungarian-ness in this increasingly "kind of American" world. It was completely brilliant on that level too. It's too bad this movie isn't more widely available internationally, it has a lot to offer.

An Amazing, Heart Warming, Unforgettable Film!

[userray2305 · 10/10 · 29 October 2004]

You think you know America, well, guess again? After watching A Kind of America you will know a whole new America and laugh yourself silly. It's a really great movie about the funny parts of life that we all live for. The main actor is so funny with his facial expressions and the way he acts. It's like watching a European Charlie Chaplin or Woody Allen. Plus, the girls are sexy, and I don't mean the kind of sexy that makes you turn your head, I mean the kind of sexy that blows your eyes out of their sockets!!! I don't know much about directing, but the movie seems to have a nice, natural rhythm. You know how a lot of films feel choppy or sloppy? Not this one. It's really great. It's also cool because it makes fun of Hollywood, which is like Hollywood making fun of itself. Right? So check this one out, I guarantee you'll love it!

Funny even for Americans!

[Pookyiscute · 10 February 2004]

This movie was hilarious! I just saw it for the first time last night and it was non-stop humor. I am American but it was still really funny and a lot of the jokes were great, some of them were even making fun of Americans. I was really impressed with all of the acting, but I think that they could have found someone more convincing to play the movie producer. In all the scenes in which he speaks English a lot of the time I couldn't even understand what he was saying because he had such a thick accent. And he was supposed to be an American! He sure didn't sound like one. At any rate, it was funny and I thought that it was really well written. I especially found the guy who played the director's younger brother really good. He was also really hot! But, if you're looking for a good movie that's foreign but you're not in the mood for something artsy fartsy like most foreign films tend to be, then you should definitely look into seeing this movie. The only other thing I will say is... "Kek Majom" (Blue Monkey)....

A rebirth for Hungarian commercial film

[meitschi · 5/10 · 7 April 2002]

Of course this is a film where the soundtrack (and selling it) matters more than the film itself. Of course this is a film where the sponsors matter more than the film itself. Rather sadly, there are some stupid inconsistencies in the script (especially in the dialog) that could have been easily avoided by a careful revision.

But in spite of all this I must say that commercial filmmaking - that is only (re)inventing itself nowadays - in Hungary has produced a nice, watchable comedy that is not annoying at all, despite all its clichés and its cartoonish characters.

In fact, Hungarian commercial filmmaking seems to have found its voice at last. After some highly successful movies in the Nineties that looked back on the years of communism with a mixture of nostalgia and irony (Sose halunk meg, Csinibaba) and recently the "modernized" remakes of two Thirties blockbusters (Hippolyt, Meseautó), this is a last a film that talks about this young, successful Budapest people of today. This is probably the secret of its success: it features a simple story that is not very realistic but with which on can well identify, some nice ideas (these days, it seems to be the ultimate "laugh-getter" in comedies everywhere these days that an older, conservative, petit-bourgeois person gets high on cannabis products by accident - this scene is very funnily played by Ila Schütz) and especially good directing, costume and set design and believable actors that seem to have fun bringing a human side to their often quite clichéd characters. (I would especially point out Eszter Ónodi's touching performance.)

Though the story and the characters themselves are nothing new, the scriptwriters and the director have nevertheless managed to give the whole environment a feeling of authenticity: there is not a single scene where you would think (though most situations are exaggerated and overdrawn) that a situation like this could never happen in Hungary, in an environment like this. It is probably this feel: "yes, this is what life is like in Budapest today", that has made the movie such a huge success.

Though definitely a popcorn movie, it is nevertheless worth watching because it captures the approach to life of a certain group of young Budapest people, of their hopes and dreams. It is also an example that a commercial film industry has started to establish itself in Hungary that is well able to create successful movies on its own, aimed to a Hungarian public that has up to now to be satisfied with Hollywood flicks. These Hungarian commercial films are of course not at all of higher artistic quality than their Hollywood counterparts, but they are closer to their own public and thus have good chances of capturing their attention and interest. This may also help to recreate a market for Hungarian films that has been lost after the fall of Communism and ameliorate the image of Hungarian filmmaking.

awesome

[danube3125 · 10/10 · 17 April 2005]

I was visiting my relatives in Budapest the other summer when I saw this incredible movie. I have not seen too many Hungarian movies, unfortunately, but I thought this movie was good in comparison to all movies.

All the characters were well defined and although the "american" film director did not sound entirely American, to Hungarians, he was very convincing.

The whole thing about the soundtrack and the advertisements- I really could care less, considering the genre of the movie. This is not some kind of profound drama that's meant to explore some major psychological issue. It's a hilarious comedy that gives some insight to Hungarian culture and their perception of America.

Like the other guy said, it's got some really hot chicks. I really wonder why the movie is not internationally renowned. Maybe everyone's thinking: where's HUNGARY, anyway? It's a shame...

One of the best Hungarian comedies ever made

[anikoeipl · 10/10 · 30 May 2002]

This is the best Hungarian comedy made in the last years! Even though it was not so much appreciated by critics, I think it is an advantage and not a disadvantage if a film becomes so successful. It is very popular among young people and it was a leading film in movies for weeks. I also wanted to clap when I first saw it as I felt I was in a theatre, the audience was so much together. The film also gave a good opportunity to the very good, but mainly theatre actors to be known by the whole country. Tibor Szervét is excellent!

At last: a really funny movie for young people in Hungary

[ktibo-2 · 9/10 · 17 March 2002]

My friends told me that I have to watch this movie. This is not just really funny but all the hearts of the filmmakers are in this picture. The plot is very good, just like the characters. The ending is really surprising, and I felt that I wanna clap my hands in the cinema! This movie is the best Hungarian commercial movie from this and the last decade. It did not have a huge merchandising, but I hope that it will be a big success not just in Hungary, but all over the world!! Congratulations!

10 points

[mozirajongo · 10/10 · 26 March 2002]

We checked out this movie on its premiere night. The place was overcrowded.

I wanted to see the movie so badly because of Tibor Szervet, who played the American filmproducer, Alex. I have seen him various times on stage and he is excellent.He was my main reason to see the film.

I loved the plot, quite original. I almost fell of the chair with laughter. The soundtrack is excellent. Apparently, more people have seen this (in Hungary) than blockbusters like the Planet of the Apes or Moulin Rouge. It's really refreshing to see something so typically Hungarian sometimes.

Well done Gabor Herendi! A sequel maybe? :)

Funny with Beautiful shots of Budapest

[bnlove · 10/10 · 18 October 2005]

This movie is very funny. It is a wonderful story of how the Hungarians view success and successful people, as told through the family dynamic of three brothers and their love interests. The Cinamatrograph work is beautiful. if you have been to Budapest you will recognize much of the scenery with beautiful shots of the Duna and its Bridges, Parlament and Castle during both night and day. the film is rather excisable to English speakers as about half the spoken text is in English while the other is in Hungarian. the actors all have wonderful comic timing with grate physical comedy as well. the Romantic twists and turns as well as the secrets and mysteries set out in the beginning of the movie keep you guessing till the end. I would recommend this movie for any person who has ever been to Budapest and for people studying the Hungarian Language.