User reviews

"Tito and I" is a very entertaining comedy. Although it touches on some serious issues such as political indoctrination and idolatry of communist leaders, I think the main point of the movie is not to make us think about these serious issues, but to laugh at them. Indeed, the movie gives the viewer plenty of reasons to be amused. It will be difficult not to enjoy it, trust me!

The cast includes two actors the I've seen in other Yugoslav movies: Miki Manojlovic (Underground and Black cat, white cat) and Lazar Ristovski (Underground)

Have fun!

Many of my friends have drawn comparisons between this film and Jojo Rabbit; however, I would like to gently remind them that this film was produced 27 years prior. It is indeed a remarkable work from Goran Markovic and his team. The narrative of Zoran, a small, plump boy, is crafted in a manner that many screenwriters aspire to achieve. Zoran is captivated by Tito, who frequently appears on television and radio; as a result, he begins to collect images of him. In Zoran's daydreams, the Comrade emerges as a guiding "hero" through his daily life.

The young boy composes a winning essay in the form of a poem, articulating his profound admiration for the Yugoslav and the Non-alligned countries leader. However, his true motivation for writing stems from Jasna, a slender girl who is both taller and older than he is, whom he persuades to be his "girlfriend". His determination intensifies when Jasna reveals her plans to leave Belgrade for the "March Around Tito's Homeland," a trip steeped in ideological significance that retraces the history of Tito and his personality cult stories.

While Goran Markovic's cult comedy is narrated by young Zoran, it is less a depiction of childhood in Tito's Yugoslavia and more an exploration of Tito's Yugoslavia as seen through the eyes of children. Zoran's infatuation with Jasna and his delight in food appear sincere, yet they also serve as vehicles for illustrating the ideological burdens of life in Yugoslavia. Jasna soon becomes enamored with an older, more "significant" pioneer, while Zoran's peculiar habit of nibbling on the wall draws the attention of his uncle, who, skeptical of Zoran's parents' pro-Socialist views, labels him a "degenerate."

This film is rich in layers, humor, and vibrant cinematography, complemented by equally vivid dialogue. It is a cinematic experience that one cannot help but fall in love with, as I have done on multiple occasions.

As of 2016 this work of film art was included in the #100 Serbian movies list (1911-1999) and protected as cultural heritage of great importance.

Brilliant Plot, Acting is once in a lifetime. The Historical reference's are on the money. Politcally correct for that time period, and the spirit of the people is dead on.Character development leaves you with the feeling you have meet them before. Lighting, costume, script are to die for.The children are complete and believable as 1954 Yugoslavia. I was almost waiting for Italian subtitles. Every actor carried their own weight on the story. The dream sequence's are original, full of Historical footage and well edited in to the theme and story development. Close quarters living is the thread that ties the plot and development together.

Goran Markovic, known more for his dramatic work, achieved something that's eluded many great filmmakers - both smart and funny comedy. Based loosely on his own life as a kid growing up in Tito's communist Yugoslavia in the 1950s, the movie centers around 10-year-old Zoran whose inspired poem about Tito written on a spur-of-the-moment-basis as an in-class assignment, earns him a trip with other deserving pupils retracing Tito's "revolutionary trails" in Tito's hometown of Kumrovec.

One gets the feeling that this film was 25 years in the making and that Markovic had this idea all throughout his career but was just waiting for the right political atmosphere to finally make it.

Movie is very heartwarming even though it hints at many unpleasant aspects of the communist regime in Yugoslavia. It doesn't give into the temptation of using this setting to get cheap and obvious laughs or to sprinkle in personal political statements together with the humour. Instead, it deals with everything in a light but intelligent manner, takes time to set up the supporting characters and delivers fabulous entertainment.

Great stuff.

The film "Tito and Me" was made during one of the most difficult periods in the history of Eastern Europe. Its quirky humor has marked the beginning of the end for the country it celebrates and unmercifully criticizes at the same time.

Making a child the central point of the film is essential for its vision. A child is able to see everything in a way as yet unclouded by the veils that adults often put on truth. And yet, the nation this film depicts often behaves like a big child (in ways that lead to self-ruin instead to self-preservation), and that gives another justification for such a choice of the main star.

The film goes even further to deal with certain philosophical and moral issues that were accepted without question for a great number of years in most countries of Eastern Europe. It puts them to test, a test of an honest and pure spectator of human foibles and peculiarities, and shows us the terrifying results made by an unbiased viewer.

The humor of the film, often bordering on absurd, only serves to heighten the sense of malaise and impending doom that eventually becomes a reality.

The child Zoran (wonderfully played by Dimitrije Vojnov, who is now one of Serbia's leading film critics and film connoisseurs)is taken along the paths of maturity, his thoughts become more and more grown-up in the process, and accordingly, his illusions are shattered one by one.

This film is comic, warm and honest, but also cruel and terrifying in its refusal to compromise. It is a story of a misguided nation and a warning for others who may share the same destiny, but are as yet not aware of it. As such it should be seen.

This is one of my favorite movies. Its amazing humor, excellent characters flawlessly brought to life by great actors, interesting, funny, yet serious and many-sided story is one of best Serbian movies ever. Zoran is chunky 10-year old living in a house which his parents share with his grandmother, and aunt and uncle. During the communism in Serbia, ruled by popular dictator,Tito, many homes were taken away from their owners. Zoran's family is, unlike most, against Tito's dictature. Zoran, however, sees Tito as his personal hero, as a great man. His learned in school that Tito is greatest man ever, and, for a kid, this propaganda was very believable. Zoran will, during a field trip learn more about his hero, without meeting him, of course. Yet, in order to understand the whole greatness, you have to know Serbian people very well, and know their temper. Only that way, this movies amazing humor will be understandable.

"Tito i ja" or "Tito and me" is beyond any doubt one of the best Serbian movies of all times. There are several reasons for such an opinion.

It's a comedy and satire shaped movie with a serious background story concerning the values in the post WW2 Yugoslavian society. Obsession with Marshall Tito, the undisputed ruler and the political system which follows his character is the main theme, seen through a child's perspective. The main character, a 10 year old boy Zoran from Belgrade tries to find himself between his divers family, friends, girls who he starts to notice and a communist regime which infiltrates all the life's pores. Love can be confusing and Zoran will discover that during the boy scout expedition to the Tito's native village Kumrovec. A convincing performance was also given by Lazar Ristovski (Comrade Raja), a party instructed delegate whose task was to plan and execute the expedition. The cynicism and narrow minded appearance of his character does represent the true state of the communist regime and it's impact on daily life.

"Tito i ja" is also the best and probably the last good work of Goran Markovic, who for reasons unknown utterly lost his common sense and creativity after this movie, and started making rubbish.

When this film was made in 1992 Yugoslavia entered its bloody wars of disintegration.

Author wanted to show to the public that love of the Marshal Tito by his peoples at the same time carried seeds of the wars which were conducted between 1992 and 1995.

Just as any Communist leader he created cult of the personality around himself and a very dangerous clique of the inner circle and even more dangerous Yugoslav National Army (JNA) which in the end decided to shoot at its own peoples.

Just as we all found out that it was all a farce in the end, so does the principle character finds out that he was an idiot by writing about Tito that he loves him more then his own parents. How in the Earth a Serb kid could write something like that about a Croat?

If you are interested in the former Yugoslavia this is a must see.

One of those movies, specific to the Balkans, which are intended only for the domestic audience. If you were born in this region before the disintegration of the SFRY, you will almost certainly love it. For the younger generations I do not guarantee, and foreigners probably couldn't understand it's essence and humor. For me, it's alongside with cult comedies of the eighties.

9/10

A failed attempt at comedy that exploits tropes about communism and Yugoslavia, and inserts an annoying kid in it, who is supposed to be endearing. It is a tedious, manipulative mess with a plot that means nothing, cheap humour, bad dialogue, annoying and exaggerated characters, and a protagonist who is meant to charm the viewers and make them forget they are watching a lazy and dumb film. I hate this film. It is not only poorly written, but it tries to hide this with shameless manipulation.

This is among the best films I've ever seen.

The movie is a tribute to individuality. Zoran is a 10-year-old boy but he is his own man despite being surrounded by peer pressure and communist propaganda. There are so many quirks in his personality that one can't help but to like him.

It is the kind of movie that would not get made in Hollywood in a million years.

One of my all time favorites, celebration of individual in totalitarian mentality, highly recommend.

I knew practically nothing about Goran Marković's "Tito i ja" ("Tito and Me" in English) when I started watching it. I was impressed. This focus on childhood in 1950s Yugoslavia manages to be both funny and disturbing at the same time. The protagonist is Zoran, a 10-year-old boy who writes a poem about how much he loves the country's ruler Tito (his family doesn't like the guy, but little Zoran is intent on proving what a good little communist he is). Sent on a trip with his classmates to recite the poem to Tito, Zoran develops feelings for a girl in the group while repeatedly angering the chaperone.

I wasn't familiar with Marković or his work before watching this movie. A previous reviewer said that Marković's work after "Tito and Me" sucked. I can neither confirm nor refute that, but having seen this movie, I'd like to see at least one more of his movies. As for Yugoslavia in the 1950s, I also recommend Emir Kusturica's "When Father Was Away on Business". I'd also like to see a movie or two about Yugoslavia's foreign relations, especially how Tito's defiance of the Soviet Union resulted in Yugoslavia's expulsion from the Eastern Bloc (as Howard Zinn put it, the Soviet Union - like the US - didn't want to support any revolution that it couldn't control).

The humour in this film is forced and low quality. It relies on exaggeration and a few gags that are repeated over and over again. Even the main character, a weird fat kid, doesn't come across as likable. This is in part because the film insists we have to find him likable. That's how the whole film feels: being forced to like it. Well, I don't like being told I must like a film or a character in it.

Narrated by the main protagonist - 10-year old Zoran, "Tito i ja" uses plenty of comedic tones, warm atmosphere," and almost takes shape of a family movie in order to poke fun at the cult of Tito in the former Yugoslavia and to pinpoint cracks and contortions in the Yugoslav society during the communist period. Young Dimitrie Vojnov gives a heartfelt performance as Zoran who was not only able to hold his own amidst all the peer pressure and propaganda, but actually effected people around him. In the supporting cast, Lazar Ristovski of the "Underground" fame got another outstanding role under his belt as a dogmatic "young pioneers" instructor driven to suicide by Zoran's unrealized nonconformity.

"Tito i ja" is one of the best Yugoslavian movie creations ever. A tale of a boy growing up in a world divided between communists and the "other" ones, gives a great representation of Yugoslavian socialism. Unfortunately, many parts of this movie are not easy to understand unless a viewer is very familiar with the life of Josip Broz Tito, Yugoslavia, etc.

Saw it years ago, laughed myself silly. Saw it again this weekend - can you believe this film is on DVD but most of Godard is not? - again laughed myself silly but also saw things I missed the first time around.

Kids from Belgrade. In the Croatian castle at Varazdin. Being chased by a ghost named "Franjo".

The Croats at the bar calling the tour leader - the tour going to Kumrovec - a fool.

There was more to this film than I thought. Must-see for Balkan ex-pats and those interested in our unique corner of the world.