Tata

Directed by Lina Vdovîi and Radu Ciorniciuc, Tata follows journalist Vdovîi as she travels to Italy to help her father out of an abusive work situation – with the journey eventually (and perhaps inevitably) forcing the woman to confront her father’s misdeeds and less-than-ideal parenting past. Filmmakers Vdovîi and Ciorniciuc deliver a subdued, low-key documentary that doesn’t, at the outset, hold much appeal, as the picture’s initial stretch boasts (or suffers from) a home-movie-like feel that’s off-putting, to say the least. It’s clear, then, that Tata does improve slightly as time progresses, as Vdovîi and Ciorniciuc begin stressing the former’s childhood and her ongoing efforts at tracing her father’s abusive demeanor to the source (eg there’s a fairly engrossing sequence wherein Vdovîi meets with her grandmother and she tells a story about losing a sibling). By that same token, though, Vdovîi and Ciorniciuc’s unraveling of Vdovîi’s father’s abusive treatment of his wife and children makes it awfully difficult to work up any real sympathy for his work-related plight – which ultimately does ensure that Tata is at its best when focused on Vdovîi and her exploits. The touching final stretch ensures that the picture ends on a positive note, at least, and yet it’s impossible not to walk away thinking Tata would’ve worked better as a short (ie there’s a lot of padding here).

**1/2 out of ****