By structuring his film like this, Mungiu places Otilia in the metaphorical role of the abortionist. She does not wield the knife, but her assistance during the entire process is an overwhelming, constant state of reluctance. As the plot becomes more and more complicated, Otilia's sacrifice becomes greater and greater. Soon, the film introduces an idea of moral parallelism. As the fetus is removed from Gabita, so goes the Otilia's spiritual biochemistry. Bubbling underneath the surface here is complicated variations on the concept of death: Death of a child, death of moral identity, and death of friendship.

On a formal level, the film is entirely composed of long, brooding takes which offer the unique opportunity to embrace a particular image long enough to build several textual readings. Mungiu's instincts are often Godardian constructions, especially during sequences of continuous dialogue. Instead of presenting discourse between two characters in traditional shot-reverse shot fashion, the frame focuses on one character during the entire conversation. Watch how Otilia reacts to the words shared between the abortionist and Gabita. Pay close attention to a scene in which Otilia sits at a dinner table with her boyfriend's family. The shot goes on for minutes and does not move an inch. Otilia barely even speaks, yet we learn more about character in that scene than in any other. Later, when Otilia is forced to walk the cold, empty Romanian streets at night we feel her stress. The emotional impact of these moments never leaves.

A text like this places the highest demand on its actors, and 4 Months is a triumph of subtly. Anamaria Marinca, the woman who plays Otilia, is the heart and soul of what makes this film work so well. Marinca delivers the best performance by any female in a motion picture this year. Watching her work is reason alone to sit through the gloom.

I assume most readers will avoid the film because of its subject matter. When I pitched the story to friends trying desperately to find someone to see the film with me, I failed to get any mobilization. Abortion is a subject matter that nobody wants to pay money to see, but 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days is an example of the film you watch to enjoy the mastery of craft, engaging in a tragic text not with intent on noticing what it makes you feel, but how.

The photograph above, the final shot of the film, explains everything.

Movie Grade: A