★ 8 / 10
Like a Mediterranean Dardenne Brothers film, this is
Phil S
Like a Mediterranean Dardenne Brothers film, this is a neorealist gem. Cinematography is by Léo Lefèvre ('I, Daniel Blake' for Loach) so it is a beautiful…
Like a Mediterranean Dardenne Brothers film, this is a neorealist gem. Cinematography is by Léo Lefèvre ('I, Daniel Blake' for Loach) so it is a beautiful watch, even as the jeopardy for the central character - and the society as a whole - increases. And, at 94 minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome.
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★ 7 / 10
FISHY BUSINESS "Luzzu" starts innocently enough with a
john s
FISHY BUSINESS "Luzzu" starts innocently enough with a solitary fisherman plying his trade, and though it touches on a wide variety of big topics - fatherhood…
FISHY BUSINESS
"Luzzu" starts innocently enough with a solitary fisherman plying his trade, and though it touches on a wide variety of big topics - fatherhood, tradition, working-class struggles, Brexit - as well as a thoughtful character study, it never loses the charm of the opening minutes. A story about a third generation Maltese fisherman, played by an actual Maltese fisherman, not only feels true, but has a warm vibe only good fiction can bring. You can almost smell the sea breeze.
Stamped with his baby footprint, "Luzzu" is the colourful family boat passed down for generations, that serious family man Jesmark Scicluna puts to sea on a daily basis. Trouble is the fishing industry is morphing into an unsustainable one, for the little guys anyway. A new born with special medical needs, and thus costs, puts a strain on the family, and Jesmark is asked to consider a career change.
Squeezed by big fish, various restrictions, and cutthroat, often illegal competition, this really is a lone man vs. the sea tale. While Jesmark's decision is a life altering one, and deftly describes the current political situation of many smaller European strugglers, it plays second fiddle to the personal trials of the defiant fisherman. A man of few words, he carries the weight of his world on broad shoulders, seeking to hold on to his heritage right to the breaking point.
Though forced to play the new game in town, a seemingly beaten Jesmark closes the movie with a moving parable to his infant son. A story about a boat, which over the years has been patched up so many times that very little of it remains, but yet, it still remains that boat. "Luzza" is a clever and affectionate tale about conflict, struggle, family, and the determination to retain one's humanity. A winner all around.
- hipCRANK
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★ 6 / 10
Better than just passing time. A story of
tom g
Better than just passing time. A story of the confluence of environmental issues, government regulations, and the laws of the marketplace on a charming, but…
Better than just passing time. A story of the confluence of environmental issues, government regulations, and the laws of the marketplace on a charming, but antiquated, culture.
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Thanks for the upload! :D