A Perfect Day (Fernando León de Aranoa, 2015)

A group of foreign aid workers in Bosnia during an uneasy ceasefire find their path beset with obstacles while trying to find rope to get a body out of a village well. These range from mined roads and local hostility to ludicrous UN bureaucracy, and they keep on getting thwarted on their quest.
This is a film with much to commend it for its intentions, the farcical aspects of the situation in the broken country being its strongest suit. The interaction of most of the ragtag group is also strong, including the young boy they pick up, who thankfully isn't made just cute. But it's uneven: the black comedy that it goes for at times doesn't really come off and the group leader's former fling who ends up in tow against her will is a painfully shallow characterisation, involved in almost all of the forced, unnatural dialogue scenes. Add the superimposition of a soundtrack of rock standards at inappropriate moments (e.g. Marilyn Manson covering 'Sweet Dreams' after the boy's parents are discovered hanged), and you get the idea: despite the positive intents and elements, it doesn't quite gel.

5/10