Witnesses

Witnesses (2005)

  • 90% of critics liked it
    (10 reviews)

  • 67% of users liked it
    (641 ratings)

Three Croatian soldiers try to plant a bomb at the home of a Serb alleged to be a smuggler and black marketer. Startled to find him home -- he is supposed to be away -- they are forced to shoot him. Then, they discover a witness whom they capture and hide in a garage belonging to the mother of one… More

Unrated, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By
Vinko Bresnan, Vinko Bresan
Genres
Art House & International, Drama
In Theaters
Oct 27, 2004 Wide
On DVD
Jan 1, 2005
Film Movement

Critic Reviews

  • Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

    Spanning a year beginning in the summer of 1984, The Witnesses offers the considerable satisfaction of a beautifully acted ensemble piece built on the foundation of a serious subject%u2014the dawn of the AIDS crisis%u2014handled just so.

  • Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

    Witnesses takes us back to the turmoil in the Balkans. But the movie is not directly about the war. It's a cleverly told murder mystery.

  • Karl French, Financial Times

    An engaging if somewhat inchoate drama set in the early years of Aids.

  • Tom Dawson, BBC

    Bristling with emotional intensity, this is far superior to earlier AIDS-related dramas.

  • Ian Johnston, Total Film

    A lively, timely flashback to the early days of AIDS with this character-driven drama.

Read all 10 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Walter M


    "Witnesses" is set in a Croatian town where Josko(Kresimir Mikic), Vojo(Marinko Prga) and Baric(Bojan Navojec) have gone to bury their fallen comrade in arms. While there, they go armed to a home and are surprised to find the occupant, a Serb, is home and accidentally kill… More