All That Jack's (1980) User Reviews

Catching the spirit of a nation, the film serves as a sharp observation of contemporary society in the Balkans

[uros-tomic · 10/10 · 21 December 2004]

This film is the third feature written and directed by director Goran Markovic, who has proved to be one of the best Serbian directors in the latter part of the 20th century. Despite his youth (or perhaps because of it), the director has successfully made a film which transcends the boundaries of the plot, and goes to serve as a sharp observation and critique of the contemporary society in former Yugoslavia, thus becoming one of the best Yugoslav films.

While aptly re-creating a typically charged atmosphere in a large and highly successful Belgrade school by depicting various teachers and the school staff and showing us their relationships, their characteristics (and mostly their flaws), he manages to also catch the spirit of a nation, and to visualize through analogous dialogs (and other film accessories)a time of great conflicts and tumultuous relations on the Balkans peninsula, which have marked the second half of the century, only to lead from bad to worse.

The acting is, as in most major films made in Yugoslavia 1at that time, superb. Even though there is no leading role, each character (and actor) has its turn to shine and personify yet another type of existence, and thus to weave its thread into the rich tapestry of the film's vision.

I would like especially to emphasize the importance of the poem recited at the end of the film. It serves as a kind of summary of what we have seen (or what we should have seen), and a manifest of the director's ideas and credos.

A dark comedy about a day in shcool

[bogdanbugarcic · 10/10 · 8 May 2004]

A great cast and an even better story make this one of Goran Markovic's best movies and one of my personal favourites. WARNING SPOILER Set in a day of a school with an overzealous principal in the middle of a retirement party for Keva (a janitor) whilst a school inspector comes to inspect charges for a sexual harassment case. The genius of this movie is the closed small society which consists of the school faculty, a group of discontent but in many ways normal people like everyone else, somewhat of a reminder to all those who went to school and regarded their teachers as freaks. A great example is the biology teacher who speaks of her holiday in Rome and the way she met her husband (a bitter technology teacher and mechanic) who as she says "exceeded her". The somewhat absurd situations, such as the school play and retirement dinner (you'll have to watch the movie to see why they are a bit absurd), are the highlights of the movie (amongst many) which couldn't have worked without a great cast such as Aca Bercek, Zoran Radmilovic and Semka Sokolovic (someone who I would like to see in more movies) as the principal are at the peak of their performance. All in all a movie worth watching regardless of your nationality or surroundings with so many great phrases which will be repeated over and over again between people who have watched this movie.

From my school days

[borkovujasevic · 10/10 · 17 December 2023]

Brutally true and realistically perfect described educational system in ex Yugoslavia.

Brilliant story and more brilliant art of actors in an everyday situations in primary school happenings.

In plenty of details regarding to the way how to managing school, relationship of teachers, emotional and ethical crossings, and simply how one small organisation lives under an autochthon, socialistic systems, Goran Markovic from writing the story, filigree accurately performed casting and circle it as matured Director, took us through one ordinary working day inside the school.

Me was the one who attended primary school same this period, thus enjoyment and pleasure is better, however recommendation for anyone to watch this masterpiece of cinematography which proofs the objective of cinematography itself.