Product Details

• Actors: Neboj a Glogovac, Nata a Ninkovi, Anica Dobra, Miki Manojlovi, Marko Durovi
• Directors: Srdan Golubovic
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Soundtrack
• Language: French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: Film Movement
• DVD Release Date: December 2, 2008
• Run Time: 115 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001GMPLB4
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #62,309 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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Editorial Reviews

Review
Engrossing!...Fascinating! --Variety

Product Description
Post-Milosevic Belgrade is the capital of a nation struggling to find its soul, of a country whose turbulence has left many in a moral and existential desert. This is the home of Mladen, his wife Marija and their son Nemanja. When Nemanja develops a serious heart condition, the doctors urge an expensive operation abroad. Just when the boy s parents give up hope of raising the money, a man contacts Mladen and offers to pay the whole amount; in exchange, he must kill the man s business rival. The proposal repulses Mladen, but as his son s condition suddenly deteriorates, he begins to seriously consider the offer. If he accepts, he saves his boy s life but loses his soul; if he refuses, he will grieve as a righteous man until the end of his life. The trap is set....

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Analyzing the Heart (inside and out), November 20, 2008

By	Erika Borsos "pepper flower" (Gulf Coast of FL, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This is a chilling, thought-provoking, densely packed, highly emotionally charged and gripping film about personal choices and the consequences that follow. Set in Serbia after the most recent Balkan War, it is a time of inflation, competition and corruption. It difficult for an average, middle-class working family to cover the costs of an exorbitantly high surgical procedure, a life-saving one which is only available in Germany. The Pavlovic family, Mladen (the dad) and Marija (the mom) learn their only child, a son Nemanja who is a swimming champion at the local elementary school has a serious heart condition which is life-threatening. The doctor explained he will continue to have heart seizures without warning and may eventually die unexpectedly from one. Mladen, the father is a supervisor at what was the most prominent Civil Engineering Firm under the old regime but it has fallen on hard times and needs an infusion of foreign investment to remain competitive and successful. Marija is a high school English teacher. Together they make just enough money for a comfortable life in Belgrade, living in a large apartment building meeting their financial obligations month to month and from paycheck to paycheck.

The family is unable to secure a bank loan, having no collateral. They are anxiety ridden, feeling totally helpless backed against an insurmountable wall, unable to help their only child. The director uses the camera to maximum effect, shooting close shots of facial expressions and using long shots to capture the grimness of cityscapes. There is a stark local park and children's playground nearby where Nemanja meets a spoiled, precocious little girl from a wealthy family, close to his age. Mladen exchanges pleasantries with her mother as they children become friends ...

Marija takes out an ad in the local newspaper asking for donations to meet the cost of the surgery to save her son's life. Mladen is not happy his wife took this drastic step to expose their personal problem to the world. Mladen feels trapped with no way out ... until he receives an anonymous phone call offering him 30,000 Euro (exactly the cost of the operation and traveling expenses) to do an execution. Mladen has no idea who the victim will be and mulls over the idea. He concludes he has no way out but to accept this offer ... It is after this point that Mladen attempts to hide his secret but his life keeps unraveling, thread by thread as his emotions are erratic and uncontrollable. He makes a second fatal decision ... This is an amazingly outstanding and sensitive film which explores a difficult subject, creating mystery, suspense, drama and a power-packed resolution. It is most highly recommended. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

4.0 out of 5 stars The Trap, March 11, 2009

By	Diana K "Diana K" (Glendale CA) - See all my reviews

The Trap, to me, is such a heart rendering story that brought me to tears. Mr. Glgovac did a wonderful job of a man in a delicate situation & was most believable as a devoted husband with morals that he had to decide his what to do. His wife delivered a great profile of her support but could not settle the delema.
A note on box that it is all in Serbian would help a potential buyer. I am lucky I could cope woth both.
Serbian is spoken much faster than when I was last in the country. When watching this film be sure you can concentrate with no interuptions.