Modern Romanian cinema prides itself on long takes, a measured tempo and a rather quiet emotional aesthetic. Oftentimes, this cinematic approach takes the fantastical and transforms it into more esoteric stories, grounding the mythic with the real. Corneliu Porumboiu's "The Treasure" is the embodiment of this visual style, setting a fairytale adventure into the real world.

Opening on a dialogue between a father and his son stuck in a traffic jam, the film quickly tells everything we need to know about the characters in question. Costi, the father, is doing his best to be a hero for his father, but he is stuck in a rut. Scenes later, the two are reading from Robin Hood, a tale that will take on massive symbolic meaning when Costi sets out on his journey to help a neighbor find "treasure" at an old family estate.

The film plays out at a slow pace, but it is clear from the get-go that we are in a heightened reality where most characters seem to bend to Costi's desires, often resulting in rather comic conversations. One such example takes place when Costi tries to explain to his boss that he took a day off to settle an issue with the treasure but finds himself having to confess to a false affair.

The film tends to adhere to a very traditional narrative structure, but Porumboiu hides the major beats and plot points beautifully. The midpoint of his story comes when the characters finally find the spot where the treasure is buried in a garden; it comes exactly halfway through the film, establishing a change of direction for the heroes and thus sets them on the second half of the narrative -- digging the gold out.

Even though the activity is rather rote and dry, Porumboiu manages to add tremendous tension by ratcheting up the antagonism between two characters. All of this plays out in a single take, but the viewer is so immersed in the adventure and conflict that it becomes transparent.

This adherence to straightforward structure falls in line with the film's reference to mythic heroes such as Robin Hood, but its understated qualities play along perfectly with the cinematic style of modern Romania.

Compositions are generally from a wider perspective, with early scenes lacking in visual depth; this emphasizes the claustrophobic world of the characters. As the heroes set out to find the treasure, the wider images are filled with far more visual depth, emphasizing the transition in their lives.

A later scene, in which the heroes fall on harder times, returns to the initial visual style with the cooler color palette of those initial sequences also repeating itself. As simple and unelaborate as the visuals may seem, there is no doubt about the detail and craft that plays throughout this gem of a film.

Speaking of gems, the conclusion of the film is absolutely smile-inducing. Viewers will be stunned by how the entire story unravels for the heroes, then question their initial actions, and then finally revel at the fact that at the end of the day, this is a true fairy tale.

"The Treasure" measures up to its name as a film filled with ceaseless formal, emotional and narrative riches. While its earnest style might not suit everyone, those willing to sit patiently will be justly rewarded for their efforts.