Movie spotlight
Happiness Does Not Come in Grades
In a high school second grade classroom, Bonggu (Gyu Seok) and Genija (Choi Soo-hoon), whose grades are low, love each other (Yi Yeon Yeon) and Niho teacher. The hard - luck Changshu helps his mother to clean the liquor, but the Eun - joo, who grew up in a rich environment, screams without understanding him. Eunju is always attracted to the innocence of the pure mind while maintaining good grades and suffering obsession with the grades due to the obsession of the parents. She takes her parents' cold eyes when she is pushed to the seventh place by the next exam. Eunju can not endure it and suicide. In the classroom, a flower is placed on the desk of Eun-joo, and the hearse and the children are tears as the hearse runs the school.
Insights
Plot Summary
The film portrays the challenging lives of young people in Belgrade during the late 1980s, grappling with societal pressures, academic expectations, and personal aspirations. It delves into themes of disillusionment, the search for identity, and the complexities of growing up in a system that often seems indifferent to individual struggles. The narrative follows several characters as they navigate their relationships and futures.
Critical Reception
The film was noted for its realistic portrayal of Yugoslavian youth culture and its critical stance on the education system and societal norms of the time. It resonated with audiences for its honest depiction of adolescent struggles and aspirations, though it received a more modest international reception.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its authentic depiction of Belgrade's youth.
Critiqued the rigid educational system and societal expectations.
Explored themes of alienation and the search for meaning.
Google audience: Audience reviews for this film are not widely available.
Fun Fact
Goran Paskaljević was known for his socially conscious films that often focused on the youth and the marginalized in Yugoslavia.
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