4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days is a movie set in 1987 Romania, under the repressive Nicolas Ceausescu regime. The movie is about Otilia and Gabita, who try to find an abortionist for Gabita. The movie focuses more on Otilia rather than Gabita; we see her running around getting the hotel room, Mr. Bebe, the abortionist, and it is she, who eventually disposes of the fetus.

Throughout the course of the movie, Otilia makes a lot of sacrifices for her friend. When it became clear that 3000 lei would not be the only payment required by Mr. Bebe, both girls sleep with him. There is a feeling of despondency and desperateness in the whole scene, Gabita desperate to be rid of her pregnancy, and Otilia accepting her fate - for the sake of her friend.

I can somewhat understand Otilia's sacrifice for her friend, as I have close friends of my own whom I will definitely help in a situation like this. Nevertheless, you can't help but wonder, how far would you go?

The beauty of the movie is that whilst it is centered around the abortion, it somehow manages to convey a sense of the effects of the regime at the time. The director masterfully intersperses the shots with normal Romanian life. When Otilia met Mr. Bebe for the first time, in the background, we see a long queue for the supermarket. It is not explicitly said, rather, artfully implied; the hardships that the Romanian people faced at that time. Overall, there is a sense of oppressiveness that is more believable. Life went on, people continued living and it was all captured in the grainy shots of the amazing film.