Cracking. Beauty and finesse and some magnificent choices in editing and overall structure that reveals a master in the making. Generally it's a movie divided into 3-4 long and 3-4 short scenes, and Forman pulls it off without trembling. Scripting consultants upon seeing the screenplay will have uttered "ehm, how will you make this last more than 30 minutes?". Lovely point.

It's funny, all the scene are cleverly executed, and it has some interesting themes as well. First Forman displays the incapacity of authorities, a theme, which he more thoroughly explores in fireman's ball, secondly (and the most dominant of the two) the gap between two generations. The latter theme is bit dragging, but due to the film's length, it's hardly a flaw or something that should be taking into consideration.

#405

Very simple filmmaking. The blend between French New Wave and Italian Neo-Realism is achieved and to an interesting effect; it's charming, light, with some heavier themes only faintly touched upon. The documentary candidness of the majority of the scenes illuminates the few romantic moments spendidly. Use of non-actors, especially the parents, really pays off.

At first you laugh at the awkward humour, then the underlying sadness hits you.

Good, sweet, funny film.

Sweet story and a nice time picture what could happened in 1960's Czechoslovakia. Actually that could happened in any of communist country those days. Though the leading lady was my favorite, the most talented actress was Milada Jezková as boy's mother. Her part was also the best written, if it was written that good. It looked pretty much improvised. The latter half of the movie gave a lot of comedy for otherwise pretty sad story.

Funny and charming with an enjoyable New Wave feel. The humanity and pain of the characters can be felt without taking away from the ultimate lightheartedness of the film.

Good inadvertent testimony to how stultifyingly dull life is in a Communist country, but not much as a film

# 373

Would have been better if there were cool lightsabre battles to break up the drama but overall it was still a good movie.

Pretty funny and interesting enough to sustain its brief length. Very new-wavey, kind of a Truffaut feel, or a Breathless feel.

If you want to learn what this "new Czech wave" thing is all about, in only 80 minutes, this is the film to see.

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