Charlatan

  • Czech Republic Šarlatán (more)
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Jan Mikolášek is the epitome of aplomb and solidarity. He is talented, sensitive, assertive and enigmatic. In his youth and when he is older, regardless of whether he is in private or public, he is a man of action, reason and intuition. A faith healer. Just one glance at the urine bottle is enough for him to know what ails his patient. With fame comes fortune, and this at a time when Czechoslovakia is a pawn in a game being played by the major power blocs. Protected and used by both the National Socialist and Communist regimes, he steps in wherever the system fails. But during the post-Stalinist years, the political climate becomes unpredictable and his special status is endangered. Along with his assistant František, with whom, as the secret police are well aware, he has much more in common than herbal medicine, the charlatan finds his morals being put to the test. Based on the life of Jan Mikolášek (1889–1973), and with a screenplay by Marek Epstein, Agnieszka Holland once again explores the link between the private and the political, and the relationship between the passage of time and the story of an unconventional individual. (Berlinale)

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Reviews (10)

Stanislaus 

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English I was perhaps looking forward to Charlatan a little too much, given the strong subject matter and the people involved, and so I was a little disappointed in the outcome. From a technical standpoint, Charlatan is handled mostly well – the assured camera work and the unmistakable score are proof of that. The acting was, as expected, really convincing, without unnecessary theatricality. Besides the almost unquestionably excellent Ivan Trojan, I must not forget to mention the young Josef Trojan, who was a great second to his father, then the grounded performance of Jaroslava Pokorná, and last but not least the solid part of Juraj Loj, unknown to me so far. What bothered me about the film, however, was its narrative lack of coherence in several places, for example the kittens, which many have already mentioned, or especially the last minutes of the film. On the one hand, this is a bold and, by Czech standards, above-average film with some really evocative moments (the death of Zapotocky, the arrest by the Gestapo) that, alongside the "quackery", addresses same-sex relationships in the post-war era, but on the other hand, there were a few places where I just felt it was missing something and that it somewhat deprived me of the desired experience. A weaker four stars! ()

angel74 

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English After a long time I went to the movie theater to see a domestic film and after watching it I know I couldn't have chosen better. It never ceases to amaze me how wonderfully everything fit together - from Mark Epstein's thoughtful screenplay and Agnieszka Holland's uncompromising direction to Martin Štrba's amazingly sensitive lighting and camera work, to the disturbingly dosed music. I must also not forget the great acting performances of all the actors, among whom Ivan Trojan excels. The last time he got under my skin like this was in a period drama In the Shadow. Josef Trojan also impressed me a lot, and I had big doubts about his talent until recently, but now I am sufficiently convinced that he has talent like his father. I couldn't believe my eyes at how similar the facial expressions were. However, it is also worth mentioning the excellent Juraj Loj as Mikolášek's life partner and the touchingly human Jaroslava Pokorná. Of the downright negative characters, I was most chilled by Miroslav Hanuš, who played the slimy minion of the regime to perfection. Charlatan shows, among other things, the monstrosity of communist thinking and the actions of the rulers of the time. I have to admit that, immediately after the screening, I was completely emotionally shattered, and even now many of my feelings are still reverberating. The story of the contradictory healer Jan Mikolášek is so impressively filmed that I want to find out more about him. Certain ambiguities in the film actually invite that. This is not a bad thing, quite the opposite. When a film sparks my interest in the fate of the person it depicts, then I'm sure I haven't wasted my time. (95%) ()

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Detektiv-2 

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English A powerful story about an exceptional person and his cruel fate. It’s a great experience watching both Agnieszka Holland’s outstanding work and the two main protagonists in action. It’s good that this story inspired by real life has been given some space, reminding viewers of a time that mustn’t be forgotten. That people are a nasty species and that love shouldn’t be forbidden. And lastly, I would like to praise how she works with life and the great screenplay. ()

Pethushka 

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English My rating is a bit biased, because any time I’m lucky enough to see a Czech film in a cinema outside our country, I'm touched and proud. Especially when it's in a place where I wouldn't expect to see on of our movies. So for me it was more about where and how I saw the film than what it was like. I liked the complex and ambiguous nature of the character of the charlatan, I liked the cinematography, but the atmosphere was at times a bit more uncomfortable than I would have liked. Because of that, and a few distracting scenes, I don't think I'm going to catch it when it airs on TV. PS: So I thought it was impossible for me to forget to rate a film here, but actually you can. Thanks, user, for reminding me of Charlatan with your review today. 3.5 stars. ()

gudaulin 

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English Jan Mikolášek was not among those who made great history, so he is not part of the great history either. Besides a handful of old folks and descendants of those he treated, no one knew about him until now. Your acceptance of the film largely depends on the fact that you do not know his true fate, because Marek Epstein adapted his life's periphery in a Hollywood manner, and Mikolášek himself would probably be shocked by what he was able to extract from his biography. Agnieszka Holland is an experienced European-level director, and under her leadership, a film was created that is worth seeing, one that is able to create a dramatic arc, captivate the viewer, and in which there are a number of scenes that will please cinephiles. This is significantly helped by the cast, led by Ivan Trojan, who gives his best performance, and it is quite possible that this is his strongest film role to date. If I have to criticize something, then it would be the screenplay, which does not adhere to logic and historical facts, right, Marek? The deeply religious Mikolášek would certainly not help with an abortion, let alone for such obscure reasons, and the state power would not need a monstrous trial with such a convoluted conspiracy where it could use bureaucratic tools for his elimination. I would encourage people to go see this film in the movie theater, it deserves it. Overall impression: 75%. ()

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