Xenia

Good intentions, clumsy execution. "Xenia" benefits from Koutras' naturalistic eye, the tender characterizations, the small moments (the melodrama is a bit hit-or-miss, hardly approaching Almodóvarian bombast, as is the 'magic realism' aspect). But newcomers Nikouli and Gelia, although likable, come off as way too mannered, when you can tell their auteur was shooting for the opposite effect. Ultimately, the film thrives on its warmth and observation but it kinda misses on a lot more potential.