The Year My Parents Went on Vacation

Director: Cao Hamburger
Year Released: 2006
Rating: 1.5

Political rebels Mom and Dad - on the run from the Brazilian government - drop Soccer-mad kid off at his Grandfather's apartment without checking whether Grandpa's there (he's not! he's dead!), so the boy is alone - lucky for him, however, he is surrounded by nothing but nice and honest people to help him survive (how considerate! and fortunate!). Populist, familiar and kinda flat, this is told from the kid's perspective, so the details about the grown-up world aren't made explicitly clear, and the grown-ups don't burden the boy (or the audience) with particulars - I understand the approach, but it also diminishes dramatic tension (the boy mostly pouts). Director Hamburger is not Kusturica.