Friends Call Me Uncle (original title: Приятелите ме наричат Чичо) is a 2006 Bulgarian dramedy about Dimitar "Uncle" Mihaylov, an elderly petty criminal. On his release from prison, he goes to his house only to find out it's been demolished by a local shady businessman, Mr. Grigorov, who's built a restaurant on top of it. When he realises he'll get no help from the authorities, Uncle gathers his old-time friends to have his revenge.
This film features the following tropes:
- The 2000s: The Bulgarian 2000s are portrayed in their cynical aspect, with the country just walking out of a financial crisis and the rich having laundered the money and assets they acquired illegally or semi-legally in The '90s while the poor are just getting poorer.
- All for Nothing: The group manages to pressure Grigorov to participate in what is allegedly an operation to bust Uncle by handing money over to him, with Simo and Kamen playing the cops. They make off with the money, but Kamen then loses the suitcase in the tram, so they win nothing.
- And the Adventure Continues: After they take their revenge on the wealthy man, the gang start discussing a scheme with bees in Ireland that Uncle read about.
- Four-Man Band: Uncle and his friends:
- The Leader: Uncle who has presence and incentive. Also Sanguine, the most driven of the group and the only one who displays a passion for life and an interest in a woman.
- The Lancer: Simeon. Also the Choleric (the one coming up with plans and analysis) and the Friend on the Force.
- The Sneaky Guy: Kamen the thief who is very skilled at what he does. Also the Melancholic who's always complaining about his luck and is the most emotionally immature.
- The Big Guy: Atanas the pub owner, the most down-to-earth. He is also brave enough to stand up to thugs despite his old age. Also the Phlegmatic.
- Friendly Enemy: Simeon, one of Uncle's friends, is a retired cop, the same one who used to put them all in jail. He's friends with Kamen in particular.
- Intimidation Demonstration: Gatzo, a thug sent by Grigorov to threaten Uncle and co., barges into Tanas' pub and starts trashing it, delivering a False Reassurance that he won't his his face and kidneys and recommending him a good traumatologist. It backfires when he starts wrecking a chair and Tanas flips out, pulling a gun on him.
- Please Wake Up: Kamen dies at the end but everyone at first thinks he's hungover and Tanas tries to shake him awake.
- Polite Villains, Rude Heroes: Grigorov is a wealthy, suave businessman who's very polite and soft-spoken in most situations. Opposite him are Uncle and his friends, gruff, ragged old men.
- Proud Warrior Race Guy: Tanas is a Macedonian Bulgarian and even if he's slow to anger, he's the one to pull a gun in a mafia thug's face and actually open fire. He's not scared at all even after the thug had pulled out a sock full of steel beads and threatened to send him to hospital.Tanas: Wrecking my pub, fuck his mommy...
- Rescue Romance: Downplayed. Uncle stops a thief from snatching a woman's purse and they become interested in each other. At the end of the film he asks her out.
- Title Drop: Uncle when he formally introduces himself to the woman, Bogdana.Uncle: Dimităr. Friends call me Uncle.
