Movieo
Poster for The Death of Mr. Lazarescu

The Death of Mr. Lazarescu

A black comedy with serious side effects.

2005 · 2h 30m · R Comedy, Drama
Directed by Cristi Puiu

Seen it?

Overview

After suffering terrible headaches and stomach cramps, Mr. Lăzărescu, a lonely 63 year-old man, calls for an ambulance, beginning one man’s hellish journey through Bucharest hospitals in search of proper medical care. As the night unfolds, his health starts to deteriorate fast.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
93%
Tomatometer
Fresh

Both sad and darkly funny, the film is so sharply conceived and richly populated that it often registers like a Frederick Wiseman documentary, even though everything is scripted and every part played by a professional.

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Fresh

There's something about Fiscuteanu's quietly desperate performance (with much of the emotion conveyed through his eyes), that gets under your skin.

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
Fresh

As commentary, it's grim. As filmmaking, it's a powerfully disturbing odyssey through the Bucharest health care system.

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
Fresh

A tour de force of cinema verite with astonishing performances by a huge cast of small players.

Philip Kennicott, Washington Post
Fresh

The movie is a stunner, so hypnotic that the length hardly matters.

Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle

Comments

Talk about the film with other members

More films