This could well be subtitled What Did You Do In The Peace, Daddy, given that a major element is the tomcatting of Malik's old man about five or six years prior to the conflict or, to put it another way, when that country between Italy and Greece was still called Yugoslavia. The film works on many levels but unfortunately several are unaccessible by those without an excellent working knowledge of the Balkan situation. But not to worry because we're still left with a rich storyline involving seduction, corruption, family squabbles, incarceration and one of Kusturica's specialities a set-piece wedding. Acting honors are divided equally and if the photography is only so-so what do you want, blood? Oh, you do. Well stick around. About five or six years.
