* Closely Watched Trains (Ostre sledovan? vlaky) holds up over the years as a fine example of comedy from the Czech New Wave, where political messages are subtly hidden under everyday situations and dry humor. Jir? Menzel's coming of age comedy is unlike most American comedies, derived from ridiculous contrived relationships and situations. Based on centuries of tradition, Czech humor gradually unfolds in off-hand manner.
** The slowly paced 93-minute film isn't for everyone, but if you enjoy character development with fine touches of humanity, beautiful black and white cinematography, and subtle political criticism, you'll find a great deal of pleasure in Closely Watched Trains. The comic tone ends abruptly with a shocking tragic sharp turn that goes against the general tone of the film; however, these events are foreshadowed in the opening and continually exist just beneath the surface, justifying the shift artistically.
*** It is 90 minutes of cinematic perfection: funny, sad, exquisitely shot, beautiful to look at (watch it twice, so that the second time around you can focus on Menzel's genius in composing his shots), and insightful--profound, even. Its structure will make any film student drool with envy. The acting is flawless, particularly the performance by Josef Somr as train-dispatcher Hubicka. And for anyone fond of, or interested in, Czech culture--this movie teaches you just about everything you need to know about the wonderful people who live there.
**** Gorgeously filmed in black and white, each frame by frame echoes of a past when life was still mired in concealment and innocence.
***** For anyone interested in examining Czech New Wave cinema, this relatively light-hearted film (along with Milos Foreman's Loves of a Blonde and The Fireman's Ball) can serve as a worthy introduction to the genre.
Language Czech
Subtitles included: English easy subs
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