I Am Not Your Friend

After the curious Hukkle and the grotesque Taxidermia, the Hungarian film magician György Pálfi this time shows us a study of human behaviour in a more realistic setting. Welcome to present-day Budapest. Modern macho men with hard, shaven heads. Modern women with a loud laugh. An encounter is an opportunity to use someone. A relationship is an option on something else. Deceit is as easy as a sniff of coke. A penetratingly filmed, cynical dance in a circle with four men and five women with songs on the radio as commentary. Incredible, that this merciless and beautifully acted ensemble piece about the bankruptcy of human relationships emerged from improvisation with non-professional actors.
A short documentary about a nursery class acts as prologue. Look how easily these innocent little ones point at their friends. Then it's still endearing, but sorrow soon puts in an appearance.