MartinHafer
When the story begins, Kostis (Makis Papadimitriou) has come to the Greek island of Antiparos to become the town's doctor. It's the middle of winter and the place is quiet and lonely. However, each summer the place is swamped with tourists…wild, young and fun-loving tourists. And the quiet town becomes a hive of clubs, clothing optional beaches, sex and drinking. As for Kostis, he's a dull, emotionally constricted middle-aged man and seems out of his element when a group of crazy young people arrive in his office after a minor accident. One of them, Anna (Elli Tringou), seems to have taken an inexplicable liking for the dull doctor and she invites him to join them at the beach some time. Soon, Kostis joins this same group at the beach but he looks very much out of place…and you wonder why they like him. While most of the bathers are young, tanned and naked, he's a pasty bald man…wearing a lot of clothes on a clothing optional beach. He certainly is a fish out of water, so to speak. Later, when they head to the clubs, he goes along…and, once again, seems really out of place and awkward. It really seems like Kostis is trying to live his 20s all over again…but is ill- equipped for this wild life. And, in some ways, it seems as though he is totally alone…even though he's surrounded by people.Over the following days, Kostis goes out bathing and partying with this same crazy group of young people again and again. However, it becomes obvious that although he hangs with this group he really is only interested in Anna. She is interested…but only in a fleeting way…but Kostis misinterprets this for love. Soon, he's obsessed and eventually this obsession leads to a complete disintegration of his life. This disintegration is tough to watch…and the picture is unflinching.This is a hard movie to categorize. It certainly is not a comedy. And, while it seems light and cheerful initially, later it becomes a very dark and ugly sort of story. This does not mean that the film is badly made….the acting is quite nice and the story engaging. But it also is a tough sell for the average viewer. Of course the film has a lot of nudity…such is life on many beaches in Greece. But it also ends on a very violent and disturbing note…and that I you should know that the film ends with a rather vivid rape scene. It could conjure up memories of past victimization and is a bit tough to watch…so viewers should beware. Overall, this is a well made film that becomes tougher and tougher to watch. Very well made, it manages to convey a lot with a minimal amount of dialog. It certainly is interesting….but also is not for all tastes.
folon2008
A film of vibrant innerness. A contemporary tragedy based on a "hero" straggling with his destiny and himself, but sadly, with a missing (in our modern times) Deus ex machina, a god that now, can only be partially restored by humane instinct. Yet, that very fact, might as well be considered being the film's ultimate message of hope.I admit that I prefer to stick to "male" rather than "female" views of the scenario, if such a distinction exists, since I only have a pair of "male" eyes.This is a story of a volcanic explosion of unfulfilled needs, prevailed by perhaps, the first and foremost one of spiritual nature: "Eros" (meaning in ancient Greek: being in love). Needs of a life, devoted to a noble and demanding cause (serving as a doctor), but apparently, hardly receiving any significant material or sentimental payback. Needs, suppressed throughout the years, probably underneath layers of patience, constraints, expectations and surrounding social indifference. Eventually, needs of a heart, permanently besieged by loneliness. In the middle of such an inner world of unstable equilibrium, "Life" itself, boosted by the Aegean sunlight and erotic environment, explodes in apocalyptic glorious reflections of bold nudity, lust, joy, freedom to the extent of Bacchanalian orgy and sometimes rowdiness. An explosion that tantalizes the ethical boundaries that hold this world together, as it triggers its pursue for love, happiness and reward.The main character, Kostis, a doctor, disembarks in a world where he is expected to lead a flat, low expectations life of serving the poor local people in almost exile conditions (especially in winter). Half a year later, summertime (both actually and metaphorically) promiscuously brakes through his door in the form of Anna, a young liberated woman, determined to drink life bottoms up, along with her company, people of similar attitude. Anna, unaware of the significance of her impact in Kostis' life, lures him carelessly into summertime delights including herself and so, the doctor after surrendering to the temptation, inevitably falls in love with her and dives eagerly, albeit defenseless in the deep waters of this experience.In the meantime, he is already under pressure from an increasing feeling of inadequacy, as he has already met, firstly, a womanizer and then an old classmate, now a plastic surgeon, successful in their own ways in Kostis' eyes. These are people, he could have been similarly as successful as, since he is almost the same age as them and of more or equal skills and potential.Inexperienced in handling the psychological implications of his close intimate encounter with Anna, who seems to provide an ideal way out of his misery, the troubled hero is drawn into a schizophrenic approach of the situation, as she, initially ignores and later reacts gradually with astonishment, indifference and repulsion to his passion and clumsy efforts to persuade her into a long term relationship. The more his desperation and failure grow, the more he tries to bend reality to his needs and violent and intrusive, becomes.In the meantime, starting from the days of seeking Anna's companion and as the situation grows darker and obsessive in his mind, Kostis slips into a more and more unprofessional and cynical attitude regarding his medical duties towards the local community, which in turn traverses the line from embracement to discontent, anger and finally, to his official expulsion.Eventually, Kostis, submitting to his passion and determined to quench his thirst, finds his way to make his love object available to his yearning, though without consent. And then, exactly at the point of catastrophe beyond remedy, sense arises from the depths of his turbid mind to take him aback with an instant realization of the vanity of his cul-de-sac actions. Actions that instead of relief, lead everybody involved, to an increasingly painful and descending spiral.Yet, no gods exist in our time to put things back in place and provide atonement. The "hero", an actually deeply sensitive human, is left alone in his desperation, stemming out of his inability to "possess" the woman he has fallen for, care for her and provide her with his love. Instead of all of the above, he unwillingly reverts back to the only limited practice and care he is allowed to exercise upon her, medical care, admitting, at the same time (as his crying implies), his defeat.A lively cinematography with constant and absorbing pace all the way to the film credits. Vivid depiction of the Central Aegean summertime mood and environment. Sequences, completely successful in providing insight to characters and situations and getting feelings across. Authentically crafted and acted characters and behaviors. Credible representation of aspects of life in a typical Central Aegean Greek island, both during winter and summer. A web of events and encounters, thoughtfully selected and woven towards the final climax. Occasionally, easy but not-trivial pictorial symbolism. Presentation of inner and outer tension and unease in carefully measured doses. Directness without unnecessary exaggeration. Above all, from a watcher's point of view, a feeling of familiarity with a lot of the situations unfolding before his eyes, empathy for either or both of the two main characters, depending on his/her past experiences and their aftermath.Certainly, a film to live with and discuss for days to come, after its watching.
