★★★★½
Sister Brother Manhole Cover is one of the most intriguing character-driven narratives I’ve seen this year.
Written and directed by Milcho Manchevski, Sister Brother Manhole Cover is a comedic crime drama that follows Malina and Viktor, a brother and sister who make a living stealing bronze and metal to sell at pawn shops and junkyards.
After an accident leaves Viktor’s foot smashed, the doctor treating him expects sexual favors as payment, and things go sideways.
The brilliance of the film lies within its script, which concocts a thrilling crime drama with wit, humor, and heart, crafting protagonists who are not only intriguing in their choice of thieving but also in their undying devotion to one another.
They’re paired brilliantly with supporting characters who aren’t quite antagonistic but instead add to this world of offbeat people.
Both Viktor and Malina are essentially homeless, squatting wherever they can, whenever they can. Viktor requires additional care and support, and Malina is his primary caretaker, looking after him the best she can, even if the help she provides is unstable, inconsistent, and, at times, very dangerous.
“Their willingness to do whatever it takes to protect one another is what makes their characters so compelling and unpredictable.”
While most films showcase people in this situation, especially women, using their sexuality for drugs and money, here, Malina has an arrangement with the doctor, allowing herself to be used and degraded sexually, not for drugs or money, but for her brother’s medication. Her brother, likewise, is willing to kill anyone he deems a threat to them.
The way Manchevski approaches their relentlessness to provide for and protect one another, adding comedic undertones to otherwise serious and dark subject matter, creates a tonal balance.
Not to mention Todorea, who’s uncanny and a complete red herring. Unpredictable and meticulously crafted, she’s a complete delight, with much of her charm coming from her wit and the mystery behind her motives.
Manchevski utilizes the cinematography to help set the tone and establish the pacing, which Stefano Falivene delivers, bringing Manchevski’s vision from script to screen.
This is evident in the opening nightmare scene, with the crisp, perfectly lit close-up of Sara Klimoska’s face and the way the darkness erodes from the corner, as well as the scene where Viktor drops the statue on his foot, and the camera emulates his motions as if the camera operator had dropped it on his own foot.
Rather than using a POV shot, the camera itself mimics Filip Trajkovic’s physical motions, capturing them as he falls.
“Falivene creates tension and suspense through a lack of visual clarity.”
The cinematography is paired smoothly with an incredible score by Igor Vasilev Novogradska that truly elevates the film.
The score allows the film to bounce its tonal elements back and forth, from doom and gloom to a world-in-their-palms mindset. This is evident in scenes ranging from Malina angrily throwing eggs at their father’s house to the touching moment of them on the swings, accompanied by an upbeat and uplifting score.
Sara Klimoska, Filip Trajkovic, and Sonja Mihajlova are nothing short of astonishing. Each brings something different to the table in their respective roles, all of which are top-notch.
“A witty, heartfelt look at family, love, and devotion masked as a crime comedy.”
It’s almost impossible to declare one to have outperformed the others, for all three deliver such defining performances and embody their characters to such an extent that they’re pivotal to the film.
All three characters are different and require completely alternative approaches, with each actor bringing a defining attribute that makes their character endearing, engaging, and lovable.
Sister Brother Manhole Cover is a witty, heartfelt look at family, love, and devotion masked as a crime comedy. With excellent execution, compelling character development, and witty, humorous dialogue, it’s a film that shouldn’t be overlooked.
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