The Teacher

The Bratislava Křeč Theater Association presents: didactic theater from history. Structure: Němý Bobeš (that's how it was!). Acting: Attention, now I have a speech and I take a stand. Method: simplify, repeat three times, write it on the board. Regarding this attempted drama of conscience, go conscientiously stab yourselves, gentlemen. A new bottom. #kviff2016 (07/05/2016)

I guess my review will seem rather schizophrenic. The film was enjoyable to watch, Zuzana Mauréry in the role of a teacher was really punch-worthy (and I don't hit women despite equal rights) and the meeting of the various different characters at PTA meetings was very enlightening. That’s as far as the positives go. But I still remember going to primary school in the 80s quite well (strange as it may seem) and I know it wasn’t like that at all. Life was neither black and white nor red and white, it was mostly a huge gray zone. Sure, there were some downright bad guys (our Comrade Deputy Director sure was dreamy), but no one was completely innocent (although one or two cases came close). Anyway, I think the screenwriter and director made things much easier for themselves, and since it was a drama - two stars. I’d be more benevolent if it was a comedy. (01/03/2020)

We have to help each other in a Czechoslovakian way. Although I can't shake the feeling that it would work better on the stage, I don't regret the time invested. And I wouldn't regret even more if the Jarchovský/Hřebejk duo once had been backed by a clear storyline. It is not directed as a story from beginning to end, but there are rather individual separate "bachelor's" segments, where every twenty minutes are devoted to one family and then the focus is on another one, without ever returning to the previous ones. It is also a pity that the children are sidelined after a while. The reason why it works so well in spite of the above is that the situation and its solution from the point of view of individual families is played out interestingly, that what Jarchovský spoils in terms of plot, is made up with dialogs and the fact that the performances of unknown cast is amazing. In other words, that is the most sad is the opportunity of the final part was completely wasted. (12/15/2016)

Jan Hřebejk has made a very strong film that shows that he and Jarchovský have really mastered the communist era, both from the more comedic and the more dramatic perspectives. If they’d gone any further this film would almost be a horror film. This film also shows us that it's not so much about the time period, but rather about the people. (09/08/2017)

I’m really glad that Jan Hřebejk still has it in him, but then I truly don’t get why the quality of his recent movies is faltering as much as it is. Once, I get an unexpectedly good movie, other times I get the feeling like I’m watching someone else’s work, even if the directing and the script are done by the same people. However, I’ll stop complaining since I’d love to gush about the great idea of shooting this movie with almost exclusively Slovakian actors. Zuzana Mauréry’s character of the teacher was absolutely perfectly repulsive and the era the story is set in only adds to the repulsiveness. Petr Bebjak, on the other hand, plays a completely unspectacular character, but once he starts talking about his wife, you can tell that he’s given it his all. In the first half, I was getting used to the story, but the second half of the movie is so full of emotions that it was hard to banish them after the movie ended. It was a great movie. (11/16/2017)