Take Me Somewhere Nice
On the edge of adulthood, Alma leaves her mother’s home in the Netherlands and travels to her native Bosnia to visit the father she’s never met. But from the start, nothing goes as planned.
If I’m being honest, when the screen faded to black I genuinely abhorred protagonist Alma. Let me explain. Alma travels to see her estranged and hospitalized father. Upon arrival to her homeland of Bosnia, it is nothing but one mishap after another. As a young woman on her own in an unknown land, Alma chooses to dawdle aimlessly until her cousin can drive her to the hospital. The lack of urgency she displays throughout the film is confusing. Through distasteful encounters with men, young and old, she often uses her sexuality to advance her pace. The fact that she was left at a bus station, sans luggage or money, and didn’t end up dead is a baffling miracle in my view. Through the bizarre kindness of mostly strangers along the way to the hospital, she is eventually able to navigate to her father’s room filled with many other patients in hospital beds only to be let down once more. Although, “let down” feels inaccurate. The nonchalance displayed by Alma is jarring. Whether it’s brazen sexual encounters or finding drugs in a suitcase, she is cool as a cucumber. It felt like this road movie was more of a waking dream.
As I had a few days to sit on Take Me Somewhere Nice, I was hit with a surprising epiphany. I was exactly like Alma in my youth! The careless way I used my sexual power, the reckless abandon I took with almost everything in my life. I was once fearless. At 41, I look at Alma with the eyes of 20 years of mistakes and growth. Writer-director Ena Sendijarević honestly gets everything right. Take Me Somewhere Nice is about a sheltered girl out in the world alone for the first time. It all makes sense now, even if her choice of her sexual partners makes me cringe. Taking a step back allowed me to appreciate her mindset in an entirely new light. Newcomer Sara Luna Zorić perfectly captures this generation’s bold nature. Watching her adapt to her surroundings is infuriating, awkward, and ultimately inspiring. I cannot leave this review without giving a standing ovation to the breathtaking cinematography. The colors, landscape, and smart camerawork are enthralling.
Take Me Somewhere Nice opens in theatres and virtual cinemas nationwide today.
The film opens in theatres and virtual cinemas nationwide this Friday, June 11th, 2021.
TAKE ME SOMEWHERE NICE is written and directed by Ena Sendijarević and stars Sara Luna Zorić, Ernad Prnjavorac, and Lazar Dragojević.
Bosnian, Dutch, and English Language with English Subtitles
91 minutes
Not Rated
TRIBECA 2021
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