Klopka

Клопка Klopka The Trap
Directed by	Srdan Golubović
Written by	Melina Pota Koljević Srđan Koljević Nenad Teofilović
Produced by	Maksa Ćatović
Starring	Nebojša Glogovac Nataša Ninković Miki Manojlović Anica Dobra Bogdan Diklić Vuk Kostić Vojin Ćetković
Music by	Mario Schneider
Release dates	15 February, 2007 (Berlinale) 23 February, 2007 (FEST)
Running time	106 min.
Sprache	Serbian

Klopka (English: The Trap, Serbian: Клопка, Klopka) is a 2007 film directed by Srdan Golubović, based on the novel of the same name, written by Nenad Teofilović.

The film is a neo-noir dealing with the age old question of how far is a parent willing to go to help a child. Additionally, it also explores the issues and challenges faced by the people living in post-Milošević Serbian society.

Plot

The film opens with Mladen Pavlović (Nebojša Glogovac) featuring bumps and bruises on his face nervously smoking a cigarette while talking to the unrevealed individual(s) in an unidentified timeframe. Among other things, he says that he is trying to "do this one thing right, after a series of wrongs that never should have happened".

Following key plot points, the movie occassionaly returns to the scene of Mladen talking to the unseen individual(s) and discussing different details or inner torment over the unfolding story.

He is a young professional residing in Belgrade and working as a construction engineer in a decrepit state-owned company that's undergoing the process of privatization. He drives a beat-up Renault 4 and rents an apartment with his wife Marija (Nataša Ninković) who teaches English in primary school. Together they're raising their only child - an 8-year-old boy named Nemanja. Despite limited means, they're still managing to make ends meet and provide for their son. They arrange and lead a fairly normal and happy family life - cheering him on at swim meets and taking him to the local playground where Mladen becomes acquainted with the blonde neighbour (Anica Dobra) who also brings her daughter to the same playground.

However, it all drastically changes one day when their son is rushed to the hospital following a collapse at gym class in school. Once there, he is diagnosed with the heart muscle condition that requires immediate surgery since the next inflammation that could come at any time might be fatal. They're further informed by dr. Lukić (Bogdan Diklić) that the procedure is only performed at a clinic in Germany, costs €26,000, and is not covered by domestic health insurance plans.

Faced with the shocking development and the fact that they have nowhere near the money required for the surgery, Mladen and Marija look into different ways of coming up with the funds. Mladen applies for a bank loan, but gets flatly rejected due to not owning property and being employed at a bankrupt company. Marija submits an ad in the paper, asking charitable donations for their son's surgery. Mladen is vehemently opposed to the idea when informed about it and confronts her on the issue, however, suspecting ego might be the source of his ire, she simply states that it's not beneath her pride to ask for a handout in this situation. Although they quickly make up, it is obvious that the situation is putting a lot of strain on their marriage.

Soon, the family gets a phone call from a man who says is interested in helping Nemanja after seeing the ad, but doesn't want to discuss the details over the phone so the meeting with Mladen is arranged the next day at the bar in Belgrade's Hotel Moskva. At the meeting, the dapper, well-spoken middle-aged man (played by Miki Manojlović) says he's willing to pay €30,000 for Nemanja's surgery in addition to plane tickets to Germany. Furthermore, he says that all he wants in return is for Mladen to murder someone. He sees Mladen as the perfect candidate to carry out the crime due to not having any prior record and being an honest, hard-working man whom no one will suspect. Counting on Mladen's dismayed initial reaction, the man tells him to think it over and says he'll contact him in two days.

After coming back home, Mladen doesn't mention the shocking offer to Marija who is eager to know how the meeting went, simply dismissing the man he met with as "some nutcase". At this stage Mladen is hoping that he never gets a call from him again, and in search of money even looks up an old coleague from university days who in the meantime managed to do OK for himself through a private business designing kitschy palaces for the noveau riche despite not being an architect. The friend quickly rejects Mladen, telling him he's doesn't have the money right now.

Back home, the mysterious man calls from the moving car inquirying about the decision and torn Mladen tells him unconvincingly that it's a no go. Sensing doubts in Mladen's voice, the man tells him to give it more thought and informs him that everything needed to carry out the murder will be in a plastic bag placed in the electrical closet underneath the Branko's Bridge, and tells him to pick it up at 7am the next morning. Lying in bed that night, tormented Mladen attempts to get some input and advice from Marija, saying he's got something important to tell her and looking ready to finally clue her in on what's going on. However, following a long introduction, she quickly cuts him off thinking he's about to tell her what's bothering him in general and just tells him to concentrate on Nemanja and not on himself.

In the morning Mladen goes to Branko's Bridge and finds the plastic bag containg a loaded gun and a letter stating that the instructions along with a cash advance will be in his building mail box tomorrow. The letter also gives Mladen a contact name Miloš Ilić along with a PO box number. While Mladen is reading the letter in his Renault, a white BMW is seen leaving the scene.

The next day Mladen takes Nemanja to school who's unhappy about the ad that all the kids saw. On the way back Mladen finds €3,000 cash in his mail slot along with the photo ID and address of the man he's supposed to murder. His name is Petar Ivković and he's the owner of Mopex Trade company. Using the instructions about the man's habits, Mladen scopes out his appartment and watches him enter his Toyota Land Cruiser SUV to go to work in the morning. Along with a well dressed man, Mladen also sees the blonde woman and the little girl Nemanja plays and goes to school with running to embrace him - they're his wife and daughter. Deeply conflicted, Mladen continues on to work where he takes out his frustration on the office equipment.

Soon, Nemanja has another heart episode and is rushed to the hospital again, but this time the doctor wants him to stay for observation repeating that the surgery needs to be done as soon as possible. The new development puts even more strain on Mladen and Marija, as they ponder the future course of action without any talking at home during night while taking turns being with Nemanja at the hospital during the day. Both know that something needs to be done fast. Mladen is mulling over the preparations for the murder none of which can be discussed with her, while Marija is growing impatiant with his seeming lack of action and answers.

Finally, late one night while Marija is at the hospital watching over Nemanja, Mladen drinks a glass of water, packs a gun, and goes out into the night. At the same time while he is waiting in front of Ivković's appartment, Nemanja gets another attack and horrified Marija calls the nurse for help. Meanwhile, Ivković's SUV pulls up, he exits, Mladen approaches him and following a short verbal exchange fires a succession of bullets, killing him instantly. Simultanously, Nemanja is fighting for his life as his pulse is dropping, but the doctors somehow manage to stabilize his condition. After the murder, distraught Mladen is back home where he hides the gun and compulsively cleans his clothes that got dirty. Emotionally drained Marija also comes home and gets very angry to see hapless Mladen after the rough night she had. Perplexed and lost they're barely speaking. She finally implores him to say and do something and to start dealing with this situation, but he just tells her to move away from him. From that night they start sleeping in separate beds.

Mladen next wants to collect the rest of the money agreed upon after the murder, but has troubles reaching the man at his cellphone. He also sends a letter to the contact PO box but finds out that the PO box with that number doesn't even exist. Mladen realizes he was used by the man about whom he only knows the fact that he knew late Ivkovic. To that end, Mladen starts following Ivkovic's widow, but only finds her collapsing on a park bench while taking her daughter out to play. Mladen takes her to the hospital and after coming to she tells him that she took a little more bensedin (sedation drug) than usual and that she didn't want to kill herself despite the fact that even the doctors don't believe her. Deeply conflicted and torn, Mladen listens and comforts the woman whose husband he just killed, before needing to leave.

Motifs

Underneath its simple noir narrative, some of the movie's key points lay in bringing up what the author sees to be the staples of post-Milošević Serbian society such as the huge gap between the rich and the poor, an entire nouveau riche class that managed to gain enormous wealth through shady means in the years since the collapse of communism, middle class that's teetering on the edge of poverty, patriotism being used to cover up criminal activities, etc.

• After she puts an ad in the paper asking for donations towards Nemanja's surgery, Marija is faced with a petulent student who after failing to heed the request to put away her handheld during class, flippantly asks Marija in front of everybody to give her private English lessons reasoning that she could use the money considering "her situation". Deeply insulted Marija throws her out of the class, but eventually swallows her pride and goes to the student's lavish home in order to give her private lessons in search of supplemental income, only to be shocked and sickened by the fact that the student's father owns a picture frame that costs €30,000, All of this leads to a long tirade when she comes home that "her son's life is worth less than those people's picture frame".

• Kosta Antic who offers the money for Nemanja's surgery on condition that Mladen kill Petar Ivkovic introduces himself as representing "those of us who love this country, who build and create" - a clear dig by the filmmakers at the usage of patriotism in Serbia in order to initiate and carry out criminal endevours through state security echelons, shady businessmen, and common criminals.

Reception

In its home country, Klopka's reviews were mixed. Popboks webmagazine calls it a movie whose great potential wasn't utilized.

Cast

• Nebojša Glogovac ... Mladen Pavlović
• Nataša Ninković ... Marija Pavlović
• Miki Manojlović ... Kosta Antić
• Anica Dobra ... Jelena Ivković
• Bogdan Diklić ... Dr. Lukić
• Vuk Kostić ... Petar's Brother
• Vojin Ćetković ... Vlada, Mladen's friend from the university
• Dejan Čukić ... Petar Ivković
• Marko Đurović ... Nemanja Pavlović
• Nebojša Iliš ... Smiling bank clerk
• Boris Isaković ... Moma
• Ivana Jovanović ... Moma's wife
• Milorad Mandić ... Inspektor
• Ana Marković ... Post office clerk
• Mladen Nelević ... Radnik

See also

• List of most expensive Serbian films

External links

• Klopka at IMDb