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The Whistlers

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  • Trailer 1

Movie Info & Cast

Director:

Corneliu Porumboiu

Producer:

Patricia Poienaru, Marcela Ursu

Writer:

Corneliu Porumboiu

Release Date:

Feb 28, 2020

Runtime:

1hr 37m

Synopsis

In The Whistlers, not everything is as it seems for Cristi, a police inspector in Bucharest who plays both sides of the law. Embarking with the beautiful Gilda on a high-stakes heist, both will have to navigate the twists and turns of corruption, treachery and deception. A trip to the Canary Islands to learn a secret whistling language might just be what they need to pull it off.

Cast

  • Vlad Ivanov
  • Catrinel Marlon
  • Rodica Lazar
  • Agustí Villaronga
  • Sabin Tambrea
  • Cristóbal Pinto
  • Antonio Buíl
  • George Pistereanu
  • David Agranov

Letterboxd User Reviews

3.3
12.1K
4.7K
1.6K
RATINGS 0 FANS
3.3
  • Feb 27, 2020

    vlad ivanov is the romanian michael keaton

    137 Likes
    karen h.
    karen h.
    Nov 30, 2019

    When I went to Cannes earlier this year, I wasn't very interested in seeing The Whistlers and I prioritized other films much higher than this one. Now I remember someone talking about how the actress learned "el silbo" (the whistling language) for this role. Catrinel Marlon…

    102 Likes
    Allison M. 🌱
    Allison M. 🌱
    Mar 7, 2024

    I really would love to commend this movie cause it is beautifully shot with some great shots and an interesting story device but this was just a missed story that needed to be tightened up. It's labeled as a comedy and sorry that is sorely missed on my front which is…

    95 Likes
    pirateneckbeard
    pirateneckbeard
  •
    Sep 21, 2019

    4 CROOKS, 3 SCAMS AND 2 COPS You wouldn't expect a placid Romanian neo-noir to be this much fun.

    78 Likes
    matt lynch
    matt lynch
    Dec 27, 2020

    I never thought Porumboiu had a modern day artier Fernando Di Leo thriller in him, but here we are, between La Gomera and Police Adjective, I now propose he should only be allowed to do variations on crime procedurals. Very engrossing with a very good crime millieu. The…

    50 Likes
    Filipe Furtado
    Filipe Furtado
    Apr 21, 2020

    The action of using a traditional whistling language to disseminate messages between a criminal network is a somewhat strange, albeit unique, concept which gives rise to The Whistlers differentiating itself from other crime thrillers, and writer and director Corneliu…

    50 Likes
    Paul Elliott
    Paul Elliott
  •
    Oct 14, 2019

    I wish I had as much fun watching this as everyone else seems to have had. Porumboiu's love of cinema seeps through all his references to other filmmakers and other films, whether they're overt or not, and while cinema clearly plays an important role in the characters'…

    45 Likes
    Maria
    Maria
    Oct 18, 2019

    This was real good, though, after now having seen the five films he's made since, I'm starting to think Porumboiu may never top Police, Adjective -- The Whistlers comes recommended, but seek out the former at all costs.

    35 Likes
    Eli Hayes
    Eli Hayes
    Aug 15, 2019

    I honestly found it difficult to follow the fast-paced, intricate espionage plotting; even more difficult to care.

    36 Likes
    Kern
    Kern
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Atom Users Reviews

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Metacritic

76
metacritic
Based on 28 Critics
6.4

USER SCORE (16)

Generally favorable reviews based on 16 Reviews
40
May 7, 2020

A stylish and fitfully engaging crime thriller with a great concept, let down by incoherent plotting and impenetrable characterisation.

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Metacritic review by Christopher Machell
Christopher Machell
CineVue
75
Mar 12, 2020

While you can admire the “House of Mirrors” structure of The Whistlers and its ironic mix of glum and glamorous, there is little emotional purchase here. This is a flatter, more arch experience than Porumboiu’s devastatingly absurd earlier films, and the entire exercise feels more about ingenuity than art.

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Liam Lacey
Original-Cin
91
Feb 28, 2020

The characters in The Whistlers turn language into music; Porumboiu does something very similar with criminality and corruption.

View full review
Metacritic review by Alonso Duralde
Alonso Duralde
TheWrap
See All Critic Reviews on Metacritic.com

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is The Whistlers (2020)?
The movie is 1hr 37min long.
What's The Whistlers (2020) about?
In The Whistlers, not everything is as it seems for Cristi, a police inspector in Bucharest who plays both sides of the law. Embarking with the beautiful Gilda on a high-stakes heist, both will have to navigate the twists and turns of corruption, treachery and deception. A trip to the Canary Islands to learn a secret whistling language might just be what they need to pull it off.
Who's the cast of The Whistlers (2020)?
  • Vlad Ivanov as Cristi
  • Catrinel Marlon as Gilda
  • Rodica Lazar as Magda
  • Agustí Villaronga as Paco
  • Sabin Tambrea as Zsolt
  • Cristóbal Pinto as Carlito
  • Antonio Buíl as Kiko
  • George Pistereanu as Alin
  • David Agranov as Denis
Who's the director behind The Whistlers (2020)?
Corneliu Porumboiu directed The Whistlers (2020).
Who produced The Whistlers (2020)?
Patricia Poienaru and Marcela Ursu produced The Whistlers (2020).