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Film rating: 5/5
Walkouts: 0/5
Pretentious clapping at credits: 4/5
BPM sighting: No
Oscar-winning filmmaker Jan Sverák (Kolya) once again teams up with his father, Zdenek Sverák, who wrote and also leads the cast of this comedy about a man who faces life after retirement. This heart-warming production poses a compelling central question: are you ‘done’ once you retire?
Josef, a high school literature teacher, one day realises that he no longer enjoys teaching and promptly quits. After attempts at various occupations, Josef suddenly recognises his strength through a part-time position at the bottle return counter at the supermarket. Always a meddler, Josef’s gentle involvement in other people’s lives soon leads to complications and some dramatic solutions.
Two five star films in three days is pretty bloody special, and definitely worth getting up for pre-midday on a Sunday. This gentle comedic exploration of a man’s struggle to deal with the “autumn years” of his life was a load of fun and stimulated thought. The script was tight and nuanced, the acting was flawless, and the cheese meter stayed just on the correct end of the scale for the whole film.
