Cristian Mungiu created an equally powerful film as any that were Oscar nominated. "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" is devoid of those things that most directors use: over bearing score to manipulate emotions from the audience, flashy editing, and camera movement. Mungiu quietly uses those things in a very limited sense, even the score he has decided not to even use one. It’s this minimalist approach in which the film gathers its power.

The power slowly generates itself during the 117 minute running time, as we get to know two young college students, Otilia and Gabita, and in the final reel just explodes with some of the darkest, saddest, emotional climaxes from last year.

The film takes place in Romania, circa the 1980s, during the Ceausescu regime. Knowledge of his regime isn’t important to understanding in context of what a horrible regime he had, Mungiu will show you. Using long tracking shots, the camera displays a world in which life was hell. The oppression the girls lived in is everywhere; there’s no market, except the black market, even things like Tic Tacs are only purchasable through this way. Renting a hotel is even tougher, there’s strict rules in which they must follow. The streets are bare and the city looks like a huge slum. This is Ceausescu’s Romania.

We really don’t know much about the girls prior to the start of the film but we will learn so much about them after the film ends. "4 Months…" takes place all in a 24 hour period. Gabby is, for some reason, forced to get an abortion. The thing is Ceausescu ordered a 1966 Decree in which makes an abortion criminal. One could serve up to 25 years in prison, depending on the month of the fetus. Despite these terrible scenarios, Otilia will help her friend.

While the structure of the plot seems simple, it’s the choices, good or bonehead, which will escalate the situation and gives the film its power. Gabby is probably the most clueless and careless 20 something around. Her decision making skills put Otlilia through further hell, all the possibility of a jail term hanging over their head, if caught. The weight of the situation is all hers, despite the fact it’s not her who’s getting the abortion.

This is where I think Mungiu is brilliant. The conflict and nature of the plot is harrowing enough, so eliminating a score, actually intensifies the film. Having all the shots eye level with the characters, no high angles, no pans or anything of the sort, brings us with them as if we are an unseen third character. Long takes also have a similar impact. Mingiu uses a lot of handheld camera, gives the film a rawness.

The tone is somber and its one of Oscars biggest blunders not recognizing this film. It’s powerful and raw; perhaps the realest film of 2007. Due to its subject matter, the film takes no side on the abortion issue. It presents it as it, and hopefully, you can separate our own personal feelings and understand the women’s plight in a Communist regime, who only outlawed abortion, not for moral or religious reasons, but so he could have more followers.