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Life Is A Miracle on DVD (2004)

Life Is A Miracle cover art
Average rating: (68%)
22158181520714
3.0
 
Starring: Slavko Stimac | Natasa Solak | Vesna Trivalic | Vuk Kostic | Aleksandar Bercek
Director: Emir Kusturica
Studio: ARTIFICIAL EYE
Run time: 154 mins
Certificate: 15
User collections: Some of the best of 2004 | 50 auteurs, 50 great films
Genres: Comedy | World Cinema
Languages: Serbo-Croatian
Subtitles: English
Released: 22/08/2005

Brief synopsis of Life Is A Miracle

Bosnia, 1992. Luka, a Serbian engineer from Belgrade,has installed himself in a village in the middle of nowhere with his opera singer wife, Jadranka, and their son,Milos. Luka is preparing to build the railroad that will transform the region into a tourist's paradise. Utterly engrossed in his work and blinded by natural optimism, Luka remains deaf to the increasingly persistent rumblings of war. When the conflict explodes, Luka's life is turned inside out.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 3 stars out of 5 Radio Times

No one unearths the absurdity in political tragedy with such melancholic vigour as Emir Kusturica. This frantic take on the Bosnian civil war revisits themes previously explored in the director's award-winning Underground, providing us with plenty to enjoy and even more to contemplate. Slavko Stimac stars as Luka, a Serbian railway engineer whose life is disrupted when his opera-singing wife leaves him and his soccer-mad son Milos (Vuk Kostic) is conscripted into the army. After Milos is captured, Luka intends to use Muslim nurse Sabaha (Natasa Solak) as a bargaining chip for his son's return, but he falls in love with her, complicating the hostage exchange. This is acerbic human drama, but it's almost a sideshow to the glorious set pieces that include the floodlit, fogbound football match and Milos's farewell party, played out to Kusturica's inimitable Gypsy jazz.

The Sun

Brilliant... Energetic and highly entertaining... Miss it at your peril.

The Daily Mail

A touching and hilariously rowdy movie.

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 5 starsLove vs. War

A customer from London, UK , 04/09/2005

This is a typical Kusturica movie. Since the setting for the story is in the horror of the Bosnian war, it is easy to miss that it is really a story of love - for family, for neighbours, for lovers.

The characters are beautifully developed - no impossible heroics, full of imperfections and with complex relationships.

But, be prepared for a lot of symbolism throughout the two and a half hours.

  10 out of 11 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsHeartbroken Donkey

Mike Salt from Manchester , 05/10/2005

Packed full of entertaining characters including a heartbroken donkey.

Just when you think you've got this film pinned down as a Balkans Royston Vasey it spins around and tugs your heart strings with surprising intensity.

And anyone who doesn't come away from this film feeling some donkey love has no soul !

  8 out of 8 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsGreat fun

Azzam from Colchester , 18/10/2005

War, love, humanity and a donkey with a broken heart!

Life Is A Miracle may not be the best film made by Emir Kusturica, but as usual there is a strong elemnet of fun haumaity in extreme circumstances.

Not a film for people who like mindless comedy... The film is thought provoking as well as fun.

For real fun Emir Kusturica films, check out Underground, and Black Cat White Cat.

  6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsSurreal atmosphere

Mauricio from London , 28/09/2005

Kusturica's latest movie is similar to his other movies in the depiction of a surreal atmosphere and absurdity of characters. However, this one is fully set in the context of the 1992 Bosnian war and for that reason is more anchored in reality. He is a master of cinema, and shows that clearly through excellent performances of the actors. The love scenes are especially charismatic, and the UN role in the war is made a mockery. It also explores the relationship between Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Muslims. I highly recommend it.

  6 out of 7 people found this review helpful
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