With László Nemes’ long-awaited return to the Venice Film Festival, expectations were inevitably high. After the acclaim garnered by Son of Saul [+leggi anche:
recensione
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Q&A: László Nemes
intervista: László Rajk
scheda film] and Sunset [+leggi anche:
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intervista: László Nemes
scheda film], the Hungarian director arrives in competition with Orphan [+leggi anche:
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scheda film], a period drama that probes the scars of post-uprising Budapest. While the feature demonstrates once again the Budapest-born helmer’s command of atmosphere and his eye for historical detail, its pacing problems and uneven storytelling prevent it from achieving the same intensity as his earlier works.

Set in 1957, shortly after Hungary’s failed revolt against Soviet rule, the story follows Andor (young Bojtorján Barábas), a Jewish boy raised by his mother (Andrea Waskovics) on idealised stories of a heroic father who died too soon. When a violent stranger suddenly arrives, claiming to be the real dad, in the guise of a butcher called Berend (played by the imposing Grégory Gadebois), Andor’s fragile world collapses. What unfolds is a coming-of-age tale in the shadow of a bruised nation, attempting to balance private trauma with the broader context of political repression.

The reconstruction of 1950s Hungary is the film’s strongest achievement. Production designer Márton Ágh and costume designer Andrea Flesch lend credibility to every frame, their meticulous work grounding the viewer in an environment that feels both authentic and oppressive. The muted interiors, threadbare streets and carefully tailored clothing give the impression of a country struggling to find its footing after revolt and under the tightening Soviet grip.

Similarly, Mátyás Erdély’s cinematography, while at times excessive in its use of yellow hues – making daytime sequences resemble an endless summer afternoon – impresses with its precision. His camera manages to balance intimacy with a wider scope, capturing both the claustrophobic interiors of family life and the broader fresco of a city at a crossroads.

At the centre of the film is newcomer Bojtorján Barábas, whose portrayal of Andor provides much of the emotional heft that the screenplay sometimes lacks. His performance, imbued with fragility, anger and youthful vitality, anchors the narrative and makes up for moments when the script falters. The ensemble cast delivers some solid work, although the characters they inhabit are not always given enough narrative space to fully resonate.

The screenplay, penned by Nemes together with Clara Royer, struggles above all with rhythm. The first half is weighed down by a sluggish setup, the tension rarely finding the chance to breathe. For long stretches, the viewer has the sense that something crucial is about to erupt, but when turning points do arrive, they either happen too gently or are over too quickly. Paradoxically, the final third feels rushed, hurrying through developments that might have benefitted from more space.

The score by Evgueni and Sacha Galperine remains functional but unremarkable, accompanying the drama without leaving much of an imprint.

Ultimately, Orphan runs up against the limits of its 132-minute running time. The film’s historical backdrop and craft are far more compelling than the plot itself, which leans on a final image that comes across as overly didactic and obvious. What lingers is less the emotional journey of Andor and his fractured family than the portrait of Hungary in the grip of post-revolution despair. For Nemes, Orphan confirms his mastery of atmosphere and design, but leaves us waiting for a story able to match his ambitions.

Orphan was produced by Hungary’s Pioneer Pictures, the UK’s Good Chaos, Cyprus’s Mid-March Media and Germany’s Twenty Twenty Vision. Poland’s New Europe Film Sales is selling the pic worldwide.