Murina

Directed by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović, Murina details the problems that ensue after a moody 16-year-old (Gracija Filipovic’s Julija) is forced to spend time with her parents and their old friend (Cliff Curtis’ Javier). Filmmaker Kusijanović, working from a script written with Frank Graziano, delivers a slow, atmospheric drama that does, in its meandering first half, contain few elements designed to capture and sustain the viewer’s attention, as the movie’s initial focus on the aimless exploits of its central characters forces one to wonder if the narrative is actually going anywhere – with the strong performances and striking visuals going a long way towards keeping things just interesting enough. It’s clear, then, that Murina does improve considerably as it passes the one-hour mark, as the simmering tension finally comes bubbling to the surface and the movie adopts a comparatively propulsive feel – which, when coupled with a few admittedly suspenseful, compelling sequences, ultimately cements the picture’s place as a wildly uneven yet mostly watchable debut feature.

*** out of ****