Cristian Nemescu�s Cannes prizewinner was inspired by a real-life stand off in Romania at the time of the Kosovo conflict. Razvan Vasilescu plays an officious stationmaster who refuses to allow Nato troops, led by US Army Captain Doug Jones, to pass without the right papers.

Star rating: ***
Dir: Cristian Nemescu
With: Armand Assante, Razvan Vasilescu

Cristian Nemescu's Cannes prizewinner was inspired by a real-life stand off in Romania at the time of the Kosovo conflict. Razvan Vasilescu plays an officious stationmaster who refuses to allow Nato troops, led by US Army Captain Doug Jones (Armand Assante), to pass without the right papers. Nemescu's film has the air of an eastern European Local Hero at first, with gentle, culture clash comedy to the fore. As he probes the stationmaster's motives the tone grows darker, and we see that the resentments at work owe more to times past than present.

Though overlong, California Dreamin' is a rich, rewarding piece. In a tragic postscript, a car crash in 2006 meant what was Nemescu's first feature also turned to be his last.

Filmhouse, Edinburgh, tomorrow until June 12, Glasgow Film Theatre, June 20-26