“The River” is a co Italian, Greek and Kosovian production showcasing the endless talent of Makis Papadimitriou fittingly playing the character of Makis.
Makis is a contractor for a German firm Sky Autobahn building a segment of a showcase highway in Greece. For safety reasons Makis posts bird figures on soundproof panels lining the highway. A motley Mad Max homeless group of 10 live in shanties by the highway and for reasons largely contradictory they rip the bird figures off the dividers. Contradictory as they are enjoying the masses of dead birds hitting the panels crafting tasty sparrow dishes and liqueur from the carcasses. Makis complains to the nasty over stereotyped Germans managing the highway construction about the danger of removing the bird figures but profits and efficiency rule the roost over safety so Makis’ contract is terminated and due to poor writing of the screenplay he is then fired again later on in the movie. Sloppy.
The motley crew is hostile to Makis and a set up accident involving a ragged Maria (Stephania Sotiropolou) occurs with Makis being fleeced for increasing sums of money by the motely crew. A love interest emerges between Maria and Makis but is delayed by a mutual recognition they are from two different worlds. Makis believes in tasty Mad Chicken Nuggets, shopping malls and progress while Maria perceives his view of progress as a threat but she weakens (but does not capitulate) with her orgasmic nugget delight.
At this point the romcom motif gains in intensity punctuated by the philosophical discourse of a river being progress for Makis and a destructive force for Maria. Interesting and relevant. But just when there would be a satisfying development of the romcom the film becomes strangled by excessive philosophification threatening the direction of the film.
The fall of Makis into poverty is lacking in any sense of reality and Maria’s expulsion from her motely crew is puzzling. Why is all the money flowing on screen here USD as the Euro is the currency of Greece. Sloppy.
What could have been a romcom punctuated by just the right dose of intellectualization collapses into a boring nonsensical finish. Sloppy and contradictory at times the film is saved from a major disaster by the theosophical skills of Papadimitriou.
Numerous pokes at Germany and the Germanic character here. A Greek love hate relationship.
A superb job at costuming and make-up of the motely crew to the degree you feel the need for a hot shower just watching them.
Directed by Haris Raftogiannis.
Watch the trailer here https://www.filmfestival.gr/en/movie-tiff/movie/15925
RKS 2024 Film Rating 63/100.
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