Reviewed by Annlee Ellingson
(May 2010)

Directed/Written by: Darko Lungulov
Starring: David Thornton, Mirjana Karanovic, Cyndi Lauper, Branislav Trifunovic, Antone Pagan, Fedja Stojanovic, Goran Radakovic and Jelena Mrdja

Writer’s block gets all the ink, but in writer-director Darko Lungulov’s feature debut, Robert (David Thornton) has musician’s block. Once a jazz saxophonist, he can no longer pick up his horn or even open the case. Broke and depressed, he is evicted from his dumpy apartment and swiftly overstays his welcome at a friend’s place by drinking all of her booze.

Unshaven and unkempt, Robert even looks like he reeks of smoke from the cigarettes constantly dangling from his lower lip. Thick, wild hair stands on end like that of a troll doll, and Thornton’s hunched shoulders and narrowed eyes convey chronic cynicism.

With no place else to go, Robert accepts an unusual offer from Branko (Branislav Trifunovic), the Serbian immigrant who helps him move. Robert flies to Serbia to marry Branko’s girlfriend Ivana (Jelena Mrdja) so that she can join her beau in the States. While there, Robert stays with Branko’s mother Olga (Mirjana Karanovic), who has no idea about the pending sham nuptials.

Distant and downright rude, Robert is initially uninterested in making any friends in Belgrade while he waits for Branko to get his money together. But back in New York, Branko’s van is stolen, along with his livelihood, forcing Robert to extend his stay and get to know his kind hostess better.

Lungulov, himself a Serbian immigrant who worked as a mover while studying film at City College of New York, has crafted a lovely movie driven by emotion rather than plot. His script slips effectively from moment to moment while little action actually takes place onscreen. Instead, Lungulov uses the scant 90-minute run time to create mood. A moving, handheld camera in the airport heightens anxiety. A still long shot of two guys sitting on a bench brings calm and clarity. And cutting in close within the cramped confines of an elevator augments awkwardness and attraction. Meanwhile, Dejan Pejovic contributes a mischievous jazzy score that amplifies Lungulov’s often light, humorous touch.

In a film about love – young love, old love and new love for those who thought they might never love again – Lungulov strikes just the right tone. His characters are adults navigating mature emotional terrain, sublimating their own desires while nursing profound hurt and leaving unsaid that which is understood.

Photo: Mirjana Karanovic and David Thornton in “Here and There”; photo by Vanja Bjelobaba

Watch a video interview with "Here and There" director Darko Lungulov and lead David Thorton