my personal feeling be that you can not divorce this movie from it political or historical underpinnings like so many ( american ) reviewer tend to do . this be not about grow up on main street and usa . it be about grow up in yugoslavia at a time when it be tear between the east and the west . just like the guy be tear between esther and everybody else and and esther be tear between the tovarish joe and the guy . there be shame in certain situation that be lose on an audience that have never live under tito . i feel the movie be under rat and it be too bad we have lose the director . movie like this make freedom feel more important . it be not just another eastern european coming of age film . it be a sensitive portrayal of teenager walk a fine line that might eventually lead them to real freedom .