Tribulations d'une amoureuse sous Staline

A noble film about the time of Stalinism and its forgotten bones... a retro noir with a Sorel texture, which completely satiated me with its precise style and constant control over the used references and procedures. Only the color line is somewhat out of place - it is not very interesting in terms of filmmaking and, moreover, it arouses a little bit of doubt (can Stalinism really only be coped with through a merciful lie and compassion built on deception?). In any case, Lankosz made a film that reminds me in many ways of what Jan Hřebejk is trying to do in vain regarding the "dark" Czech past. The Polish filmmaker undoubtedly has more talent and a better screenwriter. The other side of the coin is a balanced mix of comedy, a noir detective story and drama from which nothing stands out - neither a violent message, nor musty humanism, nor nosy melancholy. Using old procedures in a surprising context, this is a fresh and modern film, at its core similar to our Protector. (13/01/2011)