Directed by:
Andrea SedláčkováScreenplay:
Andrea SedláčkováCinematography:
Jan Baset StřítežskýCast:
Judit Pecháček, Aňa Geislerová, Roman Luknár, Eva Podzimková, Ondřej Novák, Roman Zach, Igor Bareš, Jiří Wohanka, Ondřej Malý, Taťjana Medvecká (more)Plots(1)
1980's in Czechoslovakia. Young sprinter Anna (Judit Bárdos) becomes a member of The National Sports Centre. Her mother (Anna Geislerova) and her coach (Roman Luknar) hope she will meet requirements of qualification for the Olympics. The only thing which swerves Anna from her world of tough sports drill is her relationship with Tomas (Ondrej Novak). Anna starts unknowingly getting doped with anabolic steroids. Her performance is getting better but at the same time first health problems occur. Anna learns the truth about the drugs and although her participation at the Olympics is at stake she is going to continue in her training without them. However, her mother hopes Anna might use her participation at the Olympics as a mean of immigration and she decides to apply the steroids to Anna secretly, pretending it is nothing but doses of harmless vitamins. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (12)
A very decent attempt to make a great Czech sports film, with excellent performances and a well chosen theme. But one small detail spoils the purely realistic feel of the whole project - the main characters of the plot work in a skillfully reconstructed early 1980s retro, but it's as if no one else existed outside of them at that time. Of course, it is not only the sporting performances of Bárdos and Josefíková that are a joy to behold, and that is what it’s all about. Aňa Geislerová also royally played the role of a mother several years ago and she still has what it takes and is finding new acting roles for herself all the time. For which I thank her again.
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A very good film with two quite crucial "buts" for me, which I will describe in a slightly spoilerish P.S. Fair Play is filmed with ease, the period atmosphere is good and Judit Bárdos is absolutely great in the lead role. Surprisingly, I also liked Aňa Geislerová this time, who gives a very civil performance. It's a compelling, sad story that wants to make the viewer think, and I hope it will lead as many of them as possible to that conclusion.____Slightly spoilerish P.S.: I didn't like the fact that the mother and the coach didn't also involve the doctor in their plan to secretly administer the stromba to her daughter, because then there would be no risk of her "telling" (which is what happened). I'm also quite fed up with StB plots that always start, run and end the same way.
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I applaud because this really worked as a whole. The 80s, a story that nails the viewer to their chair and reminds them a bit of what was and what isn’t a given. Judit did a great job, and since she was new to me, I enjoyed getting a peek at this unfamiliar face in different positions. The direction was excellent too. The fact that I accidentally came across the film now that the Tokyo Olympics are in full swing is only enhancing my cinematic experience. And I guess that's why I can't score it any other way.
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Unlike the main character, the film occasionally raises its knees quite high. And it doesn’t really work the way it's supposed to. Mainly through its occasional abbreviation in the development of Anna and Tomáš's relationship (meeting on the tram?), it undermines the effect of several related scenes, thus unnecessarily undermining the well-constructed dramatic storyline, which is mainly about personal dramas and moral dilemmas. Fortunately, these work on other levels (the coach, the mother). Yes, it will be mentioned many times, the martyr's pedestal that the director puts someone else on every moment is at times too schematic. But fortunately, the strength of the film lies in the performances. Bareš's STB agent, Malý's club doctor and especially Judit Bárdos brings interesting acting charm from Slovakia after a long time. Aňa tries hard, but she is too young a mother in the role that was stamped on the director at Negativ, instead of the intended Ivana Chýlková. Anyway, the film's a pleasant surprise, if only because it wants to come to terms with the recent past and isn't afraid to go its own way.
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Every year, two to three films are made in the Czech Republic that are really good (especially compared to the rest of domestic production). Fair Play is one of them. Powerful stories about being powerlessness in the days of socialism, about intimidation, blackmail and manipulation through an uncompromising regime have been told many times, but never in connection with sports. The directing is very precise and clean, and there is no lack of attention to detail and elaborate dialogues. Judit Bárdos in the main role of a talented athlete, Aňa Geislerová as her mother and Roman Luknár in the role of a strict coach also deserve praise. Satisfaction.
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