Is there any actual action in this movie?

No. If you're looking for a single gunshot or a punch, you won't find it. The 'action' is all in the dialogue and the moral tension.

Why is it called 'Police, Adjective'?

The title refers to a scene where the characters literally look up the definitions of 'Police,' 'Law,' and 'Conscience' in the dictionary to settle a dispute.

Is the drug use graphic?

Not at all. You see teens hanging out and smoking, but it's not a 'stoner movie.' It's treated as a dry piece of evidence in a police file.

Is this a good movie for a family night?

Only if your family is into high-brow international cinema. For a typical Friday night, this will feel like homework.

Police, Adjective – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Police, Adjective

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2010

62%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A Romanian cop spends two hours debating the dictionary definition of 'conscience' instead of making a drug arrest.

79%

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Police, Adjective

movie

NR, 2010

62%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A Romanian cop spends two hours debating the dictionary definition of 'conscience' instead of making a drug arrest.

79%

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79%

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Screenwise Verdict

If your kid thinks a 'cop movie' means car chases and snappy one-liners, they will hate this. Police, Adjective is the anti-action movie. It is a slow, methodical, and brilliant look at a man who refuses to arrest a teenager for a minor drug offense because he doesn't want the kid's life ruined by a stupid law.

It is essentially an 115-minute debate about the dictionary. That sounds like a nightmare for some, but for the right teen—the one who likes to argue about rules or wants to go to law school—it’s a total gem. It’s a 62 on the WISE scale only because the 'boredom' barrier is so high for a general audience, even though the quality is top-tier.

Age Fit

Strictly for 15 and up. Not because it's 'dangerous,' but because it's a philosophical procedural that would bore a younger kid to tears. It's perfect for a high schooler interested in law, ethics, or cinema.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The film focuses on a man struggling with his conscience in a cold, bureaucratic system. It is not 'fun' or 'warm,' but it is ethically serious.

Imaginative

It is hyper-realistic and intentionally mundane. The imagination is found in the intellectual debate about language, not in visual or narrative flair.

Safe

Very little actually happens. There is no typical 'cop movie' violence or gore. The main 'risk' is mentions of teen drug use and a bit of swearing.

Enriching

An incredible study of linguistics, ethics, and the way law is applied. It is a masterclass in the Romanian New Wave style of filmmaking.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Subverts every cop trope by replacing high-speed chases with high-stakes paperwork and dictionary readings.
Deeply intellectual look at how language and definitions literally determine people's lives.
Masterful cinematography for kids who are actually interested in the craft of filmmaking and long, unbroken takes.
Ethically challenging plot that forces you to decide if being a 'good citizen' means following a bad law.

⚠

What to Watch For

The pacing is incredibly slow—we are talking about long scenes of a man eating soup or walking down a gray street.
The central plot involves teenagers smoking pot, though it is treated as a clinical legal problem rather than a 'party' scene.
It is a Romanian film with subtitles, which requires a high level of attention to catch the nuance of the linguistic debates.

Conversation Starters

"If you know a law is outdated or unfair, is it still your duty to enforce it?"
"Why does Cristi care so much about the dictionary definition of a word like 'conscience'?"
"How does the setting of a gray, bureaucratic city change how you feel about the characters?"
"Is Cristi a hero for hesitating, or just a bad employee?"

Deep Dive

The Anti-Action Cop Movie

Released in 2010 during the height of the Romanian New Wave, Police, Adjective is famous for a climax that involves a dictionary. Yes, really. Our protagonist, Cristi, is a plainclothes cop in the city of Vaslui. He’s supposed to be busting a high school kid for sharing hashish with friends. But Cristi has a problem: the law is changing soon, and he doesn't want to have a kid's 'conscience' on his hands for something that might be legal in a few years.

Most of the movie is spent watching Cristi do the actual, boring work of a cop. He trails people. He waits in cars. He goes home and has long, mundane conversations with his wife about pop music lyrics. It’s hyper-realistic. If you’re watching this with a teen, you’re using it to talk about intentionality and the weight of bureaucracy.

"A cop is someone who follows the law. A person is someone who follows their conscience."

The film's power comes from its refusal to give you the easy out. There is no shootout. There is just a cold office, a stubborn boss, and a dictionary. It’s a perfect film for a kid who is starting to realize that the world isn't black and white, and that sometimes the 'system' is just a collection of people who are too tired to change the rules.

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