Everything is illuminated

Everything is illuminated was shown at the film festival Kosmorama 2 years ago but I wasn't able to see it. I did see it this weekend and it is a sweet little movie. Jonathan is a collector. He collects everything of value to him and puts it in small bags. This obsession as one might call it, started after his grandfather died. Now on the deathbed of his grandmother he is given a picture of his grandfather and a woman that saved his life during World War II. Jonathan sets out to find this woman. He hires a rather disturbed tour guide company and the guide, his seeing eye dog and the grandson take young Jonathan on a trip he will never forget. The images are beautiful and the nature is stunning. The characters seem a bit stereotypical at times. There's the grumpy grandfather, the strict waitress that only serves meat and the somewhat dim-witted grandson that loves Michael Jackson. It atleast feels like they try to portray the east european culture to it's full extent. When (if) you get past that then it's a nice, witty and a little bit sad movie. 7.7 on imdb - maybe a tinsy bit lower in my opinion.

Fun fact: The actor playing the grandson is the front man for Gogol Bordello. Saw them at both the Roskilde festival and the Quart festival and although it's not my kind of music they sure know how to put on a show and put you in a good mood no matter what! It's a lively bunch and they just go nuts on stage!