Suntan (2016)
AKA: –
Directed by: Argyris Papadimitropoulos
Starring: Makis Papadimitriou (Kostis), Elli Tringou (Anna), Marcus Collen (Morten)
Country: Greece; Effed Up European Films
Language: Greek, English (Eng Subs); Effed Up Greek Movies
Runtime: 01:44:47
Genres: Older-Younger Relationships, Depression
Plot – Spoilers:
A plump, balding, sullen-faced doctor arrives at a small Greek island that attracts tourists during the summer. The townsfolk are friendly and eager to include him in their community, something he accepts politely but without much enthusiasm.
One summer morning, a group of twenty-somethings burst into his clinic after one of the girls, Anna, crashes her bike. The hyperactive friends are obnoxious, partly because they probably think that’s the default state of every tourist, but mostly they are so, by virtue of their relative youth. They mildly bully and patronize the doctor – one of them even pats him on his bald head like a little doggie – but he doesn’t mind and is rather invigorated, while being hopelessly attracted to Anna. The group humor him for a while because he’s amusing in his eagerness to please. Anna too encourages them to include him when they party, perhaps because he’s shy, awkward and gentle in contrast to the testosterone she’s used to being drowned in.
Apart from being mostly obnoxious, the group also seems to be collectively experiencing a delayed onset of preteen-boredom as they insist on often exclaiming aloud that they’re bored. The doc finds it harder to keep up with their need-for-stimulation and hurriedly ends work every day to hang out with them. His reputation in town as the reliable medicine man drops and he soon learns something about everyone. Whether it’s peers or his young new friends – they’re nice to you as long as you play by their rules.
Excellent! This is a great movie. Elli Tringou is fantastic as Anna. It takes a little while to get going but it’s worth the wait. Fuck yeah – 5 stars all the way – of course!
A film of vibrant innerness. A contemporary tragedy based on a “hero” straggling with his destiny and himself, but sadly, with a missing (in our modern times) Deus ex machina, a god that now, can only be partially restored by humane instinct. Yet, that very fact, might as well be considered being the film’s ultimate message of hope.
I admit that I prefer to stick to “male” rather than “female” views of the scenario, if such a distinction exists, since I only have a pair of “male” eyes.
This is a story of a volcanic explosion of unfulfilled needs, prevailed by perhaps, the first and foremost one of spiritual nature: “Eros” (meaning in ancient Greek: being in love). Needs of a life, devoted to a noble and demanding cause (serving as a doctor), but apparently, hardly receiving any significant material or sentimental payback. Needs, suppressed throughout the years, probably underneath layers of patience, constraints, expectations and surrounding social indifference. Eventually, needs of a heart, permanently besieged by loneliness. In the middle of such an inner world of unstable equilibrium, “Life” itself, boosted by the Aegean sunlight and erotic environment, explodes in apocalyptic glorious reflections of bold nudity, lust, joy, freedom to the extent of Bacchanalian orgy and sometimes rowdiness. An explosion that tantalizes the ethical boundaries that hold this world together, as it triggers its pursue for love, happiness and reward.
The main character, Kostis, a doctor, disembarks in a world where he is expected to lead a flat, low expectations life of serving the poor local people in almost exile conditions (especially in winter). Half a year later, summertime (both actually and metaphorically) promiscuously brakes through his door in the form of Anna, a young liberated woman, determined to drink life bottoms up, along with her company, people of similar attitude. Anna, unaware of the significance of her impact in Kostis’ life, lures him carelessly into summertime delights including herself and so, the doctor after surrendering to the temptation, inevitably falls in love with her and dives eagerly, albeit defenseless in the deep waters of this experience.
In the meantime, he is already under pressure from an increasing feeling of inadequacy, as he has already met, firstly, a womanizer and then an old classmate, now a plastic surgeon, successful in their own ways in Kostis’ eyes. These are people, he could have been similarly as successful as, since he is almost the same age as them and of more or equal skills and potential.
Inexperienced in handling the psychological implications of his close intimate encounter with Anna, who seems to provide an ideal way out of his misery, the troubled hero is drawn into a schizophrenic approach of the situation, as she, initially ignores and later reacts gradually with astonishment, indifference and repulsion to his passion and clumsy efforts to persuade her into a long term relationship. The more his desperation and failure grow, the more he tries to bend reality to his needs and violent and intrusive, becomes.
In the meantime, starting from the days of seeking Anna’s companion and as the situation grows darker and obsessive in his mind, Kostis slips into a more and more unprofessional and cynical attitude regarding his medical duties towards the local community, which in turn traverses the line from embracement to discontent, anger and finally, to his official expulsion.
Eventually, Kostis, submitting to his passion and determined to quench his thirst, finds his way to make his love object available to his yearning, though without consent. And then, exactly at the point of catastrophe beyond remedy, sense arises from the depths of his turbid mind to take him aback with an instant realization of the vanity of his cul-de-sac actions. Actions that instead of relief, lead everybody involved, to an increasingly painful and descending spiral.
Yet, no gods exist in our time to put things back in place and provide atonement. The “hero”, an actually deeply sensitive human, is left alone in his desperation, stemming out of his inability to “possess” the woman he has fallen for, care for her and provide her with his love. Instead of all of the above, he unwillingly reverts back to the only limited practice and care he is allowed to exercise upon her, medical care, admitting, at the same time (as his crying implies), his defeat.
A lively cinematography with constant and absorbing pace all the way to the film credits. Vivid depiction of the Central Aegean summertime mood and environment. Sequences, completely successful in providing insight to characters and situations and getting feelings across. Authentically crafted and acted characters and behaviors. Credible representation of aspects of life in a typical Central Aegean Greek island, both during winter and summer. A web of events and encounters, thoughtfully selected and woven towards the final climax. Occasionally, easy but not-trivial pictorial symbolism. Presentation of inner and outer tension and unease in carefully measured doses. Directness without unnecessary exaggeration. Above all, from a watcher’s point of view, a feeling of familiarity with a lot of the situations unfolding before his eyes, empathy for either or both of the two main characters, depending on his/her past experiences and their aftermath.
Certainly, a film to live with and discuss for days to come, after its watching.
53 out of 60 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Fascinating drama in Greek island
csantas111121 June 2017
I was not preparing for something serious after the first 10-15 minutes of the film; after which my wife left the room, offended by the nudity. We are both Greek-born and were used to the old ways, though we were quite aware of what modernism has brought to Greek beaches. But the movie was not about nudity. It was the drama of a middle-aged man who had not tasted the joys of life, being glum and relatively ordinary. But a young Aphrodite partying with her friends caught his attention. The movie relentlessly follows his obsession, and if Nabokov invented Lolita, this story gets more intense. I would say the Greeks have learned something about tragedy. I was dazzled by the excellent photography and the gorgeous Greek island. Not an absolute masterpiece but close to one.
I don’t want to tell you too much about it because it would be better if you found out on your own but this movie is superb. As a bonus you get to hear “Echo Beach” by Martha & the Muffins.
How the coomer got his groove back…..then did coomer things and you know the rest of the coomer story. If only the doc had prescribed himself two red pills smh.
This movie was incredible good. thanks for posting this.
I hate people
decent movie tho the ending left Me with my dick in my hand feeling deprived of details Thanks to the curiosity they created…still a funwatch.
Another weird greek movie any sex scenes at least?
I had sex with my mum
Did you guys notice what it says in the description of this movie? “Apart from being mostly obnoxious, the group also seems to be collectively experiencing a delayed onset of PRETEEN-boredom…” LOL
This is a tough one to review… the movie was not bad at all, the main character does a tremendous job in being cringe and increasingly creepy, the story kept me hooked throughout but the final was such a fucking let down… when you wait (a fairly low paced movie) for things to finally explode in the most transgressive way possible, what you get is a pretty fucking average ending. Could have been so much better
good movie
What a bunch of retarded queers in this comment section.
Movie was OK but ending was very disappointing. I would let the main character strangle that little 304 to death if I was the director.
It needed more rape tbh.
Middle age protagonist falls in love with a teen slut. He looks like a person that everyone bullied in school and all the schoolgirls fucked with everyone except from him poor guy
Why the hell would she have nailed him in first place ?? it was on her not him and to be honest your asking for trouble staying around for summer after the grisly deed and promising some more action.. She was some kind of pity fuck machine who really must have known the poor chap was not going to leave her alone if they returned from Mykanos.. Personally I wanted to see lanky dude with long hair get a real bashing ideally by the beerboys wearing goggles.. He deserved it with broken bottle up his glory hole after giving fat doctor a slap amongst other crimes.. He was a real prck, the other dude was sound !