Aranyélet

If You want know what is the real life in Hungary, you have to see this serial. This film will be present how you can open the door to yours first million. The next mill will be automaticly.....

10/10 in the Hungarian league, 8/10 in international level.

I have to admit i have seen only season one, but i do not see it as the depiction of the "Hungarian Reality" as so many reviewer does. But rather as an enormously good satire of the Hungarian swindlers who had their gold age in the turmoil of the 90's, they kind of got addicted to their routines, and they fail to realise, that the world in which they flourished shrinks to be a petty one. Like commit a life endangering, prison worthy crime for 1M Huf? (3000 Euro) In 2015? Serious?? Or parking the car everywhere, with a disability certificate, and it all serves as a status symbol? (For any possible reader from outside the postcom region: it is a status symbol, as it shows you managed to pay off the medical staff) Hillarious. So originally East European, so sourly funny. Why still 8 instead of 10? Because it resonates too well with the "you cannot make it in the right way" postcommunist worldview. And it is rather harmfull, here in Hungary. It is not realistic, and i even dont think, the series is about it. But it still conveys this message for almost all.

Well deserved 9 points on Imdb ! To my knowledge, this is the first hungarian series ever to be aired in America. Watch,- you won't be disappointed.

This show is the best hungarian show ever. And I think currently one of the best shows in Europe. Why?

Because this series is brave to show the hungarian reality. Which is a brave move. It reveals all of the crimes, life-hacks,lies, nonchalance that happens every day, down the streets, and up in the luxury apartments.

It shows what is the life feels like in East-central-Europe. You live rightfully and poor or you do live with cheating, lying and perhaps, you get rich. Or you can go to a foreign country, and the people of the country exploit you. The truth seems like that way.

The morality is so strong point in the show. Attila, the father, who gives up his criminal career (like an anti-Walter White), but his past and his environment always pull him back. Janka, the mother, who never wants to give up her luxury lifestyle. She wants her lifestyle, want her family's livelihood, doesn't matter what it takes. Márkó, the son, wants money and money so he join to his godfather's gang and taste the darkness of the crime and power. Mira, the daughter after she finds out his father's crime she starts drink and party hard and escape from her family. A family will tear apart.

The series makes it with style, with tension. Great performances, spectacular cinematography (too much drone shot in the pilot, maybe).

So professional, if I were an American I wouldn't believe it's not an US's HBO product. So professional, so European, so hungarian.

I cannot wait till the second season arrives.

The nationally colorful team behind Aranyélet did a wonderful job for all three seasons, creating a fun product that actually was made for international view, and that quality is apparent pretty well; it's huge, it has depths realised with a wonderful cast, exciting storyline crafted to maintain attention from A to Z. People in Hungary surely wanted this kind of quality that represents the good worksmanship of this country.

However, do not let people fool you. As many mistakenly states this series being "THE HUNGARIAN REALITY" they either nationally radicals and don't know other countries are also besides Hungary or just plain don't know what "reality" means. This series - although based on real, historical elements came after the change of regime in Europe and political reality up to date - it's still just a colorized story, that is down to earth and paints extra brushstrokes there where it needs a bit of a classic "make it exciting no matter what".

But as story goes right to the end of the SEASON 3, it is also apparent that it don't really wants to show a story that is 100% realistic. And here comes the folksy side of the production. Especially in the last season things will happen that brings mystical levels to the story, that which is the tool of expressing sorrow and judgment on the whole family prior the series. Making it not a realistic, but a bit of a folksy, fantasy-like thriller/drama.

Hungarians are also known for being clever reminding people all around the world about their existence, and this show is no different from that intention; stating home cuisines, pig slaughter, hungarian bands playing international music and also songs with homelanguage, and some of that quality which may be too cheesy for other nations. But, these are implemented in a way that it is pleasing and overall not making any harm to the whole masterfulness or the quality of this show.

The soundtrack is mostly alright, it has that globalized vibe we get from the west culture, but it is handled so generic in places, especially in SEASON 1; there are some tracks that holds the quality of a generic TV soap opera, like it was taken right from "Barátok Közt" or something. And I still don't get it who got that cookie-cutter idea to put Tankcsapda to the end of the season finales; it is out of place, nothing to do with the rythm of the series, just cringeworthy.

The cinematography holds up pretty well, it is really beautifull, especially I like the scenes set back in the 90's. Simply powerfull stuff.

Story, besides all that I have already stated above, is well crafted, it builds up perfectly till the end with every plot having its own evolution, and every question being - kinda - answered, with which we will feel mostly satisfied. It's only 3 seasons though, but fortunately this prompted the writers to make a well thoughtout story without any plotholes that would bug the viewers, so props to the whole team of Aranyélet, this was a really enjoyable run.