We Started Together
A lakeside Hungarian rom-com that relives the joys and disappointments of a thirty-something class reunion.
Date: January 16, 2023
Film: We Started Together (2022)
This is a classic Hungarian romantic comedy set almost entirely at home, with a cast of fresh young actors—and a few familiar faces (Zoltán Mucsi, Bori Péterfy, Tamás Jordán) for a comforting touch. The premise is simple: the ten-year reunion of a graduating class where everyone brings their old role and old grudges along.
Right from the start the film introduces every archetype: the cool guy who has always been cool; the womaniser; the loser who is not really a loser; the sweet “harmless” girl; the rebellious one. We know these people. They need no instruction manual, which is precisely why the story goes down so easily.
The film’s greatest strength is its atmosphere. It feels like summer from beginning to end, like there is nothing else we have to worry about. Lakeside sunsets, the rolling hills of the Balaton uplands, wine cellars—everything looks gorgeous, giving you that “I want to drop everything and be there” feeling. It is pure escapism, and these days that is a pretty powerful asset.
At the same time the director does more than parade sunsets. The film gently weaves in the topics that inevitably surface in our thirties: living up to the world’s expectations, “Where am I at this age?”, panic at the gates of adulthood, old love stories, and whether friendships really endure. It does not dig too deep—this is a rom-com after all—but it strikes the chords just enough.
As casual viewing it works beautifully: it is light, sweet, occasionally genuinely funny, and there are a few moments that tug at your heart. It does not pretend to be more than what it is: a Balaton vibe shared with a group of friends who sometimes clash but ultimately know they can count on one another.
My score: 8/10. Perfect after a long, exhausting day.