Taking Off

Miloš Forman moved across Western Europe to the United States and did there what he had done best in Czechoslovakia. He filmed people. He first studied them and then he extracted exactly the right moments that will look good on the screen and make you think. Although the scene with the joint probably sticks most in your head, there are more memorable scenes that offer insights into the Americans of the time. (11/12/2015)

The socio-cultural boom that hit America in the 1960s never particularly appealed to me, so the only film that I think fit best into that era was Forrest Gump. When I saw Miloš Forman's Hair earlier, the only thing that attracted me to it was its form. But you also can't say that about Taking Off. For me, it became just a one-and-a-half-hour-long narrative about family conflicts, running away from home, parental narrow-mindedness, and exemplary marijuana smoking. Throughout the entire film, I was just watching something with an apathetic expression that didn't interest me at all and was boring overall. I'm surprised that I didn't turn it off. To fully appreciate the film, perhaps a greater understanding of certain "cultural values" and "social rules" is needed. But no matter how hard I try, I can't find that understanding. Maybe I should grow up. (07/07/2005)