Waltzing Matilda

A burden that weighs nothing. Matylda's son, from his profession, knows how obligations work, but he hasn't yet experienced what it's like when you owe your conscience. The aspects of devaluing part of your own life for the sake of someone else's end are sometimes presented in an overly accessible way for the audience, and the characterization of some characters occasionally shows signs of creative laziness (like the journalist interviewing the distrainor). However, the glimpses of Karel Roden stepping out of his usual acting style and Regina Rázlová, who missed out on a Czech Lion award only because of another uncontrollable elderly woman, manage to dispel these doubts within the overall context. Right after the credits, I went to listen to Rod Stewart. (08/19/2024)

2023 was a strong year for quality dramas in Czech cinema: after Exhale, the hermaphroditic We Have Never Been Modern and the black-humored She Came at Night, we have another solid piece, this time from the field of Alzheimer's disease, which is perhaps the one that audiences are most familiar with (after an unexpected visit of the mother-in-law). The film is mainly based on the strong performances of Karel Roden, Antonio Šoposki and especially Regina Rázlová, whose acting gives rise to a believable story that may one day befall any of us. In addition to depicting the typical symptoms and manifestations of Alzheimer's, the film equally addresses the consequences and effects of the disease on loved ones who are faced with a difficult ordeal. Slavík's film is another in a series that confirms that old age can be truly cruel. (12/19/2023)