Reviews

The latest film directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu, 'The last corrupt in Romania,' is Nicolaescu's first movie after 'Poker,' which became a great box-office success in Romania. The recent film continues the events of 'Poker,' with a cast that brings together many popular Romanian actors - Horatiu Malaele, Vladimir Gaitan, Valentin Teodosiu, Ion Ritiu, Catalina Grama (Jojo) and Mircea Diaconu – who embody the same main characters as in Poker. The screenplay, signed by Adrian Lustig, has everything it needs to reflect the present-day society, with humor and irony. Mob boss Titel Pangica (Horatiu Malaele) becomes a doctor in sciences and donates money for a memorial museum dedicated to his life and work: from petty salesman to member of the Parliament. The custodian of the museum is his good friend Horia Vrabete (Vladimir Gaitan), whom he stole the place in Parliament. Other characters are a plastic surgeon, a high-profile prostitute that was rewarded with a job with the government, and a general of the secret services who is ordered to arrest a corrupt politician. It is a great movie, don't miss it!

In the history of Romanian cinema, Sergiu Nicolaescu's name stands for "prolific, highly commercial and professional".

At the age of 80, the director launched in April his latest production, which is also his second comedy in a long row of action and historic films. "Poker" is a cinema adaptation of Adrian Lustig's theatre play with the same name, and focuses on four male friends, representatives for the social canvas: a doctor without a moral conscience, an unscrupulous politician, a chief of the local mafia, and a businessman who made a fortune in America. Nicolaescu says the subject is "more contemporary than ever and reflects the political reality perfectly," even if it had to be delayed due to other director's projects.

Made by MediaPro Pictures, 'Poker' looks at immorality and intrigues in politics, hinting at the fact that contemporary Romania is a day to day jungle where strings are pulled by those in power, so everything turns into a poker round, where those who have the right aces in their sleeve can win.

Born in April 1930, Sergiu Nicolaescu is a Romanian film director, actor and politician. He is best known for his historical movies, such as Mihai Viteazul (1970, released in English both under the equivalent title Michael the Brave and The Last Crusade), Dacii (1966, Warriors), Razboiul Independentei (1977, War of Independence), as well as for his series of thrillers that take place in the Kingdom of Romania, such as Un comisar acuza (1973, A Police Inspector Calls). He is one of the most popular film directors in Romania. Nicolaescu's debut as a director was in 1962 with the short film Scoicile nu au vorbit niciodata (Shells Have Never Spoken). His first feature film was the 1966 French-Romanian co-production Dacii (Les Guerriers). Nicolaescu continued his film-making career by directing a large number of movies and also starring in many of his own movies.

The latest movie directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu, "Carol I", is for sure one of the best documentaries made in Romanian cinematography. The film shows events in the last few months of King Carol I's life and the tension between him and his government in the context of the First World War. The plot unfolds in the summer of 1914, when King Carol I was 75 years old and was living in seclusion at Peles Castle, together with Queen Elisabeta. Nicolaescu stars in the lead role, that of Carol I, a part he played before, in another one of his movies, "For the country" (1977). As for whether the film is true to actual events, Nicolaescu underlined it is nonetheless fiction, even if it is well anchored in the events of the time: "Fiction is almost all the time, because we're all actors. I used a lot of documentary too. I used some of the time's documents and footage, the beginning of the First World War and I also used what I shot in 1977. I have used a lot of materials but the film is essentially fiction". I believe this film is a piece of history and you must definitely see it.

In Romania, Sergiu Nicolaescu's most recent detective flick revolving around the legendary character Commissioner Moldovan gathered the largest audience among all Romanian movies screened in 2008. "Supravietuitorul" ("The Survivor") was watched by almost 26,000 people and cashed over 300,000 RON at the box office. So, the public says it's the best movie of the year. Nicolaescu's movie is followed by "Restul e tacere" ("The Rest is Silence") by Nae Caranfil, Romania's nominee for an Oscar in the best foreign language film category. The best part of the movie is the part taking place in the 1940's Bucharest, the legend of the famous couple Cristian Vasile (singer, a VIP of the time) and Zarada (a gypsy girl). I recommend the movie to everybody.