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      When Father Was Away on Business

      R Released Oct 11, 1985 2h 25m Comedy Drama List
      100% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 91% Audience Score 2,500+ Ratings In a post-World War II Yugoslavia still under Stalinist rule in the 1950s, 6-year-old Malik (Moreno D'E Bartolli) is oblivious as to why his father, Mehmed (Miki Manojlovic), has suddenly disappeared. The actual reason for Mehmed's absence is that he has been sent to a labor camp as punishment for acts of sexual indiscretion involving young girls. Malik's mother, Senija (Mirjana Karanovic), however, has no answers for him, and the family is left to cope in the father's absence. Read More Read Less

      Critics Reviews

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      Daniel Barnes Dare Daniel It's not a particularly dynamic film, but I liked Kusturica's compact camera moves and bleary sense of whimsy. Rated: 3.5/5 Mar 26, 2020 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com This charming saga, winner of the top Cannes Film Fest award, tells the story of one family in Yugoslavia circa the eraly 1950s, when politics invased every aspect of life. Rated: B+ Jul 25, 2011 Full Review Anton Bitel Film4 A beautifully observed, impeccably performed piece of Chekhovian drama in which a boy, his family and society all sleepwalk through the nightmare of Yugoslavia's Titoist reformation. Jun 15, 2007 Full Review Jules Brenner Cinema Signals Karanovic turns Kusturica's tendency to make an epic out of everything he touches into something that's worth the agonies of his extended sentimentality. Rated: 3/5 Jul 2, 2005 Full Review Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat Spirituality & Practice Offers a revealing glimpse of life in Yugoslavia during the 1950s, a time of political transition. Rated: 4/5 Aug 22, 2004 Full Review Daniel M. Kimmel Worcester Telegram & Gazette Rated: 3/5 Apr 16, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

      View All (74) audience reviews
      S R Although its not the most compelling film, it still has memorable moments that go a bit extreme at times. Regardless, a good capture of the Yugoslavian issues with political communism and how lives can be ruined out of pettiness. I enjoyed the fervor for the National Soccer team and the old lady singing in Hungarian at the wedding. I saw it for its accolades and Kusturica, but it wasn't what I thought it would be. It was on Youtube. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/25/23 Full Review Zoran D Original language is not Hungarian. It is Serbo-Croatian. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review david l When Father Was Away on Business (Otac na sluzbenom putu) sheds light upon the crazy and utterly ridiculous turmoil that was the late 40s and early 50s period of Yugoslav history known as the Informbiro period. Although the film is somewhat flawed in pacing and tonal shifts with the second half being quite less engaging than the first one, there is no denying the sophistication in its memorable, at times even quite witty dialogue and the genuine emotion in some quite moving scenes. Kusturica's direction is reliably strong and so was the acting from everyone involved in this very well crafted period piece overall. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member One of my favorite movies of all time - top 3! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member Kusturika's highly-acclaimed comedy-drama is actually rather contrived and overlong. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member The Cannes winner in 1985, this film tackles the toll a war takes on one family that has its own dysfunctions. A working knowledge of 20th century Yugolav history would help with comprehension, but it's still an effective story. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      When Father Was Away on Business

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis In a post-World War II Yugoslavia still under Stalinist rule in the 1950s, 6-year-old Malik (Moreno D'E Bartolli) is oblivious as to why his father, Mehmed (Miki Manojlovic), has suddenly disappeared. The actual reason for Mehmed's absence is that he has been sent to a labor camp as punishment for acts of sexual indiscretion involving young girls. Malik's mother, Senija (Mirjana Karanovic), however, has no answers for him, and the family is left to cope in the father's absence.
      Director
      Emir Kusturica
      Screenwriter
      Emir Kusturica, Abdulah Sidran
      Distributor
      Cannon Film Distributors
      Production Co
      Centar FRZ, Forum Sarajevo
      Rating
      R
      Genre
      Comedy, Drama
      Original Language
      Hungarian
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Oct 11, 1985, Original
      Release Date (DVD)
      May 24, 2005
      Runtime
      2h 25m