Aristophanes would love this film. It has layers of meaning mixed with reality and belly laughs. The inspiration is from Odysseus returning to find Elpenor's body, and the character's journey takes the viewer from Piraeus to downtown Athens and through the beautiful Greek countryside. The actors are all top-notch. It's such an unpretentious, natural film with such excellent acting you barely realize you're watching a film. There is homage to the Italian movies of the 60s, in my opinion, yet the movie is very Greek. But you don't have to be Greek to enjoy it! I loved the characters. They could have been stereotypes, but each becomes fleshed out during the journey. Though the filmmaker gives you some backstory on each, I wanted to find out more about them. I usually don't like the word 'heartwarming' or films that are described that way, but unlike many formulaic films this one is heartwarming in a plausible way. In my mind's eye I can see each of the characters as real people in Greece and I can believe they'd they act the way they do.
Review of 4 Black Suits
