Twice Born

I had initially thought that the gorgeous Penélope Cruz and the Italian film making craft would come up with a better movie. But it’s a completely botched romantic drama that profits off scenes filmed in beautiful Sarajevo. The story is divided into two parts, the past and the present. I liked the past better, it was more interesting, but I feel like it’s only made the movie inconguous. (07/08/2018)

A strong and emotionally intense drama that deserved far more attention than it ultimately received. A rejuvenated Emile Hirsch is a great complement to the timeless Penelope Cruz, and Sergio Castellitto's nostalgic approach turns this story into an immortal narrative. Perhaps some lines in the final catharsis blend a bit too conveniently, but when faced with the melancholic and oppressive theme of war, I don't even want to dwell on such criticism. 90% (26/05/2013)

Extreme chauvinistic drivel that muddles its thoroughly horrifically moronic Almodovar plot for two hours and puts it in a Yugoslavian war triple-wrapper to give it some value. Even formally it hurts, because the scenes don't build on each other, there was clearly more cutting than filming, I would have loved to see the characters loaded into a vat of acid one by one, and by the end the more the film played on my emotions the more I wondered what I was going to have for breakfast tomorrow. I think what amused me the most was that whenever the film didn't feel like itself, it pulled out some of the characters’ boobs so the viewer wouldn't dwell too much on further development. (09/07/2013)

Sarajevo and its surroundings have never been so cool and used from a film perspective. When you watch Twice Born, you will notice that Sergio Castellitto filmed it with enthusiasm and passion. He wanted to put everything into this story. From strong emotions to pastel shots of the best local beaches. But that only works halfway, though the beginning is direct and gripping, unfortunately, it starts to stutter in the middle. Things slow down, more characters appear with their entanglements, and everyone, including the screenwriter, gets involved in it. The result, therefore, is somewhat average, but it's a pity. There’s a lot of European feeling, and that's good. Plus, thumbs up for the linguistic authenticity of the project and Penelope Cruz's fantastic performance. (17/05/2015)

I won't lie, I give points here mainly for Penélope Cruz, who shows in all her beauty, which is truly breathtaking. The story is very heart-wrenching, and some political events, with a few exceptions, seem like almost unnecessary backdrop. But thanks to that, the film manages to grab your heart and even bring a tear to your eye. (18/08/2017)