Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

There are a lot of trashy films and sub par performances out there. Soon we will learn who was the worst for last year. Among the contenders are Johnny Depp for The Lone Ranger, Ashton Kutcher for Jobs, Adam Sandler for Grown-Ups 2, Jaden Smith for After Earth, and Sylvester Stallone for Bullet To The Head, Escape Plan and Grudge Match.It is films like Before the Rain that makes movie going worthwhile and makes us forget the junk that assaults our senses.When we hear about Bosnians, Croats, and Serbs, we have a tendency to tune out. What do we care? It's not out war. But this film will put it in perspective in a way that you will care because all war is our war.Oscar nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, we will have to face the fact that we are often consumed by hate to the exclusion of all else. As long as that exists, we will be constantly at war.

The London segments, i.e. the segments in English, though relatively short, drag the film down somewhat; the dialogue here is clumsy. The scene with the restaurant shoot-out is absurd and stupid: a Balkan mobster starts shooting at people randomly, a place where Cartlidge - a photographer or journalist - just happens to be, telling her husband she wants a divorce. (How conveniently her problem is solved, by him getting killed there moments later!). A little too far-fetched. Serbedjija is upset with Cartlidge because she refuses to follow him to Macedonia, him having given her very short notice! What is this, kindergarten?...The rest of BTR, which revolves around a couple of small villages, is much better, but suffers from a bad case of premonitia: we know Serbedjija will get killed; it's just a matter of time. The acting and the dialogue is solid. The film's main statement - that all sides in such a conflict are equally guilty - was a wise choice for the director to make. This decision is not to be taken for granted because most directors - particularly left-wing Western ones - aren't capable of approaching any political issue in a movie in a constructive, logical, fair, intelligent, and unbiased manner.Frankly, I saw this quite a while ago, hence am not sure what I'd think about it now.

Really great movie, if not the best Macedonian movie ever. However, I felt compelled to mention that it is above all an artistic representation of the situation in the country. Namely, such "Romeo and Juliet" like conflicts between ethnic groups in the country do not exist, but are inevitable in the movie to emphasize the diversity and rich turbulent history of this region and at the same time give more appealing show for the viewer. Another impressive feature of this movie is the actual time-line which is not linear but rather presented in a circle sections. I also loved the musical score. Macedonian ethno-rock band Anstazija did some great remakes of traditional melancholic Macedonian folk songs.Manchevski's next hit "Dust" uses the same "action driven" plot to keep the viewer's attention, but as in this movie addresses much deeper issues.All in all, a must for anyone who appreciates European cinema.

Before the Rain is an allegory. Before the rain is the air heavier and flies bites and the same before civil war in former Jugoslavia. People starting to show their hidden hate and all are preparing for the war. Old friends become hostiles and the common sense is going to fade away. People are forgetting the value of one's life and young boys are becoming great soldiers with guns in hands. And as a summer storm the war is spreading and thunders warn us about its nearness.It shows the story of world-wide famous photographer who comes back home after many years spent in wars but finds again the war and the same story of man's foolishness. The way how was this movie made in kind of retrospective (in curious way) and marks the metaphorical thought mentioned in the title above (by the mouth of the priest). Next to all these there is shown a pure young love and some religious scenes as well.