When I first saw POLICE, ADJECTIVE at Kendall Square I was in high school. I admit that I found myself falling asleep multiple times. Contrary to what that seems to mean, I loved and still love the movie. You are supposed to be pushed to exhaustion to enter the state of mind wherein the film’s protagonist finds himself.

The film follows a detective, Cristi (Dragos Bucur), as he patiently stakes out an alleyway hoping to gather info on a group of teenagers who are suspected of smoking pot. That’s right – Cristi is forced to endure painfully long takes with the audience in which the boredom is broken only when he leaves to grab a coffee.

POLICE, ADJECTIVE is an exercise in futility – Cristi finds himself lost between his duty and conscience, a girlfriend who matter-of-factly declares that things aren’t working out between them (but really, she doesn’t care), a trivial task, and his demanding boss. The climax of the film, and I don’t want to ruin it, involves a dictionary.

I realize that I might not be selling the film to you – really, it’s fantastic! POLICE, ADJECTIVE is a film about ethics and language (and the very real synthesis of the two). Director Corneliu Porumboiu will appear in person to discuss.

POLICE, ADJECTIVE (2009) DIR. CORNELIU PORUMBOIU
4/13 – 7:00PM

Harvard Film Archive
24 Quincy Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
$12