Meet the Rodney Dangerfield of Romania.
There are a few things that you should do when someone gives you an unexpected gift: strutting and bragging are at the top of the list. One thing you never do is ask the question why. So it goes in MEDAL OF HONOR, an excellent Romanian comedy/drama about a WW2 veteran given the Medal of Honor for undisclosed deeds.
Ion I. Ion (his name is a prime example of Romanian humor) is married to a woman who will barely speak to him, she stays with him out of habit. Their son now lives in Canada and he too wants nothing to do with his father for a vague reason we don’t learn about until later. Ion and his wife sit in their freezing apartment bundled up, watching crummy soap operas while waiting for their pensions to arrive. The friendly mail man delivers Ion notice that he has received the Medal of Honor.
Ion does what he should not do and asks why he receives the medal. Stupid, stupid! He asks the Ministry of Defense and searches old letters for answers. He convinces himself it’s for a minor action taken against fleeing Germany soldiers but even his old army buddy is skeptical. Soon after his meeting the President we find out the truth, about the medal and about what happened with his son.
This is very well made movie. The plot builds very gradually, in a way that American movies almost never do anymore, and for that reason along I recommend watching it. The final scene, a single 5 minute long static shot, is heartbreaking and honestly moving. I hope you get a chance to see MEDAL OF HONOR, at Cinequest or elsewhere.
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