Collective (2019)

The review calls it a gripping, must-see documentary that expands the story of the nightclub fire into a takedown of a corrupt state, with forensic skill and quiet fury.

Alexander Nanau’s bracing documentary plays like a gripping real-time thriller about the fallout from a nightclub fire and the dark forces confronting journalism.

The critic calls the film a brilliant, suspenseful exposé of medical malpractice and corruption with universal implications, especially timely during the pandemic. It singles out the journalists' dogged investigation and the young health minister's transparency efforts for praise.

The critic praises the film's scalpel-like precision in exposing corruption in Romania's health service following the Colectiv fire, noting its observational style and universal relevance to public responsibility.

The documentary is a taut, intense procedural that follows a journalistic investigation into Romania’s dysfunctional medical bureaucracy after a nightclub fire, exposing corruption while remaining emotionally wrenching.

The critic praises Nanau’s searing documentary for exposing Romania’s widespread healthcare corruption and gangsterism following the Colectiv fire, highlighting the heroic investigation by journalist Cătălin Tolontan. The review singles out the film’s depiction of bureaucratic indifference and a secretly filmed video of maggots in a patient’s wound as particularly horrifying.

The film is a visceral exposé of hospital corruption following a deadly nightclub fire, reaching emotional depths through its observational style while celebrating sound investigative journalism.

The critic praises the documentary for its coherent and staggering account of the scandals following the 2015 nightclub fire and the journalists' investigation into hospital corruption. It singles out the resilience and story of survivor Tedy Ursuleanu for praise.

The critic calls the documentary gripping and highlights its portrayal of intense investigative journalism uncovering wholesale corruption in Romania’s medical establishment after the Colectiv fire. It singles out the astounding access to key figures and Hollywood-style plot twists as standout features.

The piercing documentary exposes government corruption in Romania's healthcare system following a nightclub fire and is as absorbing as Spotlight. It singles out the striking access to a reform-minded health minister and the grim visual metaphor of maggots in wounds for particular impact.

The film is a searing chronicle of institutional corruption that reminds viewers without investigative reporting there is no democracy, highlighting the collaborative nature and urgency of journalism in the face of horror.

The critic hails it as an explosive observational documentary exposing sickening corruption with resonance far beyond Romania. It singles out the focus on journalists uncovering diluted disinfectants and the universal themes of lies and lack of empathy for praise.

The review describes how Nanau’s documentary follows journalists exposing layers of wrongdoing in Romania’s health system after the nightclub fire, likening it to conspiracy thrillers like All the President’s Men. It singles out the focus on health minister Vlad Voiculescu’s reform efforts as a key element.

Praises the accomplished documentary for its gripping investigative study of the fire and healthcare scandal, with a brisk narrative that promises exposure beyond festivals.

The critic calls the film a riveting drama of catastrophic amorality, commending its clear-eyed procedural approach to uncovering widespread corruption and its balance of professionalism with dark humor. It singles out the human cost and the tenacity of journalists and reformers.

The critic praises Nanau's damning documentary for exposing systemic corruption in Romania's healthcare system following the Colectiv nightclub fire, noting how little has changed since earlier Romanian films on the subject. It highlights the importance of a free press and the personal toll on reformers and survivors.