At the Terminus

A terribly messy look at the lives of several people whose destinies intersect in a block of flats by the final tram station. It lacks neorealist naturalism and the story does not offer ideas big enough to prevent the viewer from getting bored despite the short runtime. The climax is more for the female audience, men today won’t find anything stimulating. (10/18/2018)

The inspiration from Italian neorealism with psychological detail typical of Karel Čapek's short stories is completely evident here. The mosaic of stories of the inhabitants of a tenement house on the outskirts of Prague is framed by the four seasons from spring to winter, and during this year, a series of significant changes occur in the lives of the characters being observed. Love, infidelity, break-ups, an unwanted child, death, and several other events. it is very well acted and directed, and in its unobtrusiveness, highly suggestive. Vladimír Ráž in the role of the bourgeois selfish mayor Martinec takes on one of his most negative roles, and Martin Růžek as an alcoholic is more than believable. Overall impression: 80%. (01/21/2010)

Perfect performances by the cast, led by Eva Očenášová, Vladimír Ráž (who is so believable here he could use a few slaps) and Martin Růžek, all in Ashkenazy's elaborate script, which was just a little lacking in the romance with the pilot, and in the skillful direction of Ján Kadár and Elmar Klos. The music by Zdeněk Liška, making his feature film debut, is already simply amazing here, and when he crashes the organ in the church scene, for example, the drama is more than 100 percent. (04/05/2020)