In the early 1920s, the remote Serbian village of Pokrp is facing a serious crisis. The disastrous human cost of the First World War has left the male population of the tiny town decimated, leaving the majority of the female inhabitants love starved and desperate for the touch of a man. Things grow even bleaker when one of the towns last surviving bachelors meets his maker courtesy of a wobbly tombstone. Soon after, local sisters Ognjenka (Radivojevic) and Boginja (Kolacaric) inadvertently cause the death of the towns remaining male after an ill-judged attempt to experience the pleasures of the flesh.
Narrowly avoiding being condemned to death, the two sisters are granted a temporary reprieve, but only if they fulfil a promise. Tasked with bringing back a virile man to the towns eager all female population, the unfortunate sisters not only have their own lives at stake, but the eternal soul of their beloved grandmother too. Its not long before the desperate pair happens upon two eligible bachelors in the dashing forms of a dance-hall dandy, the Charleston King (Kapicic), and circus performer, The Man of Steel (Jezdic). The love starved sisters instantly fall for their new acquaintances, but ever mindful of the ransom the townswomen have held over them, they return to Pokrp with their bounty.
After great success on home soil, Tears For Sale finally makes its way onto DVD this side of Europe. Billed as a Post-modern fairytale for adults, newcomer Uros Stojanovic certainly delivers with his debut feature. Tears for Sale is an engaging and immersive experience, one that takes its foundations from reality and decorates these inspirations with glorious production design thatll have audiences drooling.
Its the visuals that deserve special mention first. Despite a surprisingly modest budget, Tears For Sale delivers breathtaking, intricate details and set designs thatll rival much of Hollywoods best efforts. With its rich shades, detailed sets and surroundings and sumptuous costumes; its impossible not to be enthralled and lassoed into the strange world the film takes place in. Likewise, the superb score hits all the right notes thanks to the efforts of Japanese composer Shigeru Umebayashi, whose portfolio boasts some of Asias biggest cinematic exports of the past few years.
But of course, its the central premise and performances that really matter, and thankfully, Tears For Sale scores high marks in this category as well. Leading ladies Katarina Radivojevic and Sonja Kolacaric are instantly endearing as the hapless sisters thrown into the middle of this post-modern fable, and the familiar realms of the fairy-tale not only makes this story a solid one, but hurdles over the language barrier and makes this foreign language fantasy all the more accessible.
Overall Verdict: Hitting high notes on all counts, Tears For Tale delivers mesmerizing visuals, a sensational score and impressive performances around. And with plenty of grown-up gags, this is one fairytale adults wont have any trouble enjoying.
Special Features:
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Reviewer: David Steele