Politiki Kouzina created a big fuss in Greece because of its production standards, which were higher than any previous Greek movie. Although a variety of filters and effects is evident, it still lags compared to an average Hollywood production. Especially striking is the inability of the actors to dub their lines properly!
The beginning of the film is poor, using some childish gimmicks and cheesy dialogues. It later takes off when we are transferred to Istanbul. The city by itself generates a sentimental reaction in the soul of every Greek. The story though is rather silly. Some food-related metaphors are thrown in the mix here and there, but we see neither a coherent plot nor a main idea. There's a continuous effort to evoke emotions by playing the nostalgia card, although only partially in the movie is the reason of the nostalgia really established.
Corraface is annoying (and what kind of spelling is that anyway?). I never liked him and he just reaffirmed why. He's fake, plain and wooden with just a nice smile. He should better become a TV presenter. Or perhaps he cannot act when he speaks Greek, because his English speaking scenes are actually acceptable. By far, the best performances were from Michaelidis and Louizidou. Absolutely top class and the main reason I rated this movie a 7. Both being from Salonica and with an immigrant background must have helped them absorb the protagonists psyche and manners. No wonder they are both good comedians as well (a good comedian is always a good actor). Second to them, Stelios Mainas and Tamer Karadagli are doing a great job. These four guys save the movie. Tasos Bandis and Basak Koklukaya are not convincing. They could unleash much more emotion through their roles. The two kids were okay but not something special.
The beginning of the film is poor, using some childish gimmicks and cheesy dialogues. It later takes off when we are transferred to Istanbul. The city by itself generates a sentimental reaction in the soul of every Greek. The story though is rather silly. Some food-related metaphors are thrown in the mix here and there, but we see neither a coherent plot nor a main idea. There's a continuous effort to evoke emotions by playing the nostalgia card, although only partially in the movie is the reason of the nostalgia really established.
Corraface is annoying (and what kind of spelling is that anyway?). I never liked him and he just reaffirmed why. He's fake, plain and wooden with just a nice smile. He should better become a TV presenter. Or perhaps he cannot act when he speaks Greek, because his English speaking scenes are actually acceptable. By far, the best performances were from Michaelidis and Louizidou. Absolutely top class and the main reason I rated this movie a 7. Both being from Salonica and with an immigrant background must have helped them absorb the protagonists psyche and manners. No wonder they are both good comedians as well (a good comedian is always a good actor). Second to them, Stelios Mainas and Tamer Karadagli are doing a great job. These four guys save the movie. Tasos Bandis and Basak Koklukaya are not convincing. They could unleash much more emotion through their roles. The two kids were okay but not something special.