Bonté divine

A million-dollar idea set on a picturesque Croatian coast. Sunny exteriors, a relaxing atmosphere conveyed in a fresh Balkan manner, comical characters, humor of both a plebeian and intelligent nature (great jabs at the Church). A perfect break from super-serious festival dramas, as well as tasteful and at a high filmmaking level. (2013-07-05)

We must avoid sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in just one day, twenty-three thousand fell... (1 Corinthians 10:8) It won’t be such a massacre on a small Dalmatian island, but many of its inhabitants will not escape the consequences of their own and others' sins. So what if some have sore knees from laying tiles of good intentions... The troubles surrounding the despicable method of increasing natality are accompanied by populism, a light dose of political incorrectness and moralizing, a recurring musical motif, and a growing feeling that it doesn’t really engage me much. If Krešimir Mikić's mother stood before you with a pregnant belly and a list of potential fathers in hand, who would you guess it was? (2024-02-08)

The first half of the movie is great, maybe the best comedy of this year. Unfortunately, in the second half, the comedy turns into a tragicomedy, which is where the movie starts losing steam. Although I expected a little more, it is quite a relaxing comedy/drama set on a small Croatian island. 5 stars for the first half, 3 for the second, so a 4 overall seem fair. “It's either a tycoon or a Mafioso.” – “It's the Bishop.” (2013-11-29)

Svećenikova djeca (The Priest's Children) is one of the best tragicomedies I've ever seen, if not the best. The comedy/farce made me cackle, only to have everything instantly turn into a drama with an unexpectedly human dimension. I don't know if any film has ever evoked such a mixed bag of emotions in me. Plus, as a militant atheist, I was pleased that the filmmakers weren't afraid to attack the Holy Church, which is in desperate need of criticism. A great character was the local pharmacist/nationalist, who would do anything for his Croatia. I liked the whole mixture very much and had a great time again today on my second viewing. (2017-08-17)

A folk comedy and exactly the type of film Zdeněk Troška will never make. This is a film that has a lot of humor flowing from the screen. I have never seen such imaginatively-processed running-jokes. Yet what surprises me most is that most films like this lose steam in the second third, only to moralize in the final third. Here they keep it going to the very end. A standing ovation for the filmmakers is well deserved. (2013-07-04)