I did liked the idea of Here and There", and also the realization of it. It is indeed a story about an American who comes to the Balkans and is lured by the natural charm of the region and its people. But the interesting thing, the shade that makes this movie keep realistic, is that Robert doesn't stop being himself after the experience. He remains the socially awkward guy who expresses himself better by music than by words. He doesn't become loud like a Serbian, he doesn't starts to dance free of inhibitions on the local music. He just finds again inspiration to sing, falls in love, and realizes that what people think it's the best, is not always the best for everybody. Robert's story is a story of how to be happy outside of the crowd, about finding your personal solutions. And it's touchy and beautiful put in images. But if the fate smiles to Robert, takes him out of his inertia and pushes him towards a better version of himself, we can't say the same thing about Branko. The Serbian guy who struggles in the tough world of New York to make a living is facing a series of unfortunate situations. We can well see his frustration of being so close to his dream, but also feeling that it sleeps away, like we can also see his determination to endure in order to succeed.
Belgrade, with its transition grey shades, but also colorful men it's a character per se. We can see there men that didn't lose their pride, cheerful girls that sell in stores, and the famous Balkan hospitality that states that every stranger should be treated as a friend. Even if you find him guilty of a lot sort of historical things, even if he just answers to your friendship with grumblings, it doesn't change anything.
Belgrade, with its transition grey shades, but also colorful men it's a character per se. We can see there men that didn't lose their pride, cheerful girls that sell in stores, and the famous Balkan hospitality that states that every stranger should be treated as a friend. Even if you find him guilty of a lot sort of historical things, even if he just answers to your friendship with grumblings, it doesn't change anything.