Kolya

A beautifully shot safe bet. The contrast of a cute little boy vs. a grumpy bachelor can't fail. (05/11/2003)

Kolya is a good film because it bears all the hallmarks of Svěrák's classic screenwriting style - especially light dialogues full of brilliant jokes. It is also a good film because all the actors give great performances, starting with the screenwriter himself (surprisingly, one actually believes in his bastard: o)), and ending with the cute fat boy Chalimon. The film is not that good primarily because we are beginning to see Jan Svěrák's tendency to be shallow and to carry out a frontal attack on the viewer. He knows what works and uses it shamelessly, whilst also maintaining a tolerable level. Unfortunately, unlike The Elementary School, Kolya is more of a plan to win an Oscar than a strong and distinctive film. The film lacks the natural earthiness (what do you think about that, Mr. Kovář? :-)) and the suggestive evocation of the atmosphere that characterizes great works of authorship. Humor holds it above the water, but also the fact that the story (willingly or unwillingly) always gets to a person. (09/24/2004)

I have written many times before that I do not have a fondness for sentimentality in movies and emotional manipulation, and the director's reliance on sentiment often has the opposite effect on me, sinking the film in my eyes. However, Kolya is, in the best sense of the word, a professionally written and directed piece, and it's not surprising that it was well-received both domestically and internationally. Although it's not my personal favorite, I believe that a clearer and higher quality film like The Elementary School deserves an Oscar more. I don't feel the need to revisit Kolya regularly, but unlike Czech cinema in the past 10-15 years, I don't consider it a waste of time. It is a pleasant combination of a simple, universally understandable story, likable characters, and heartwarming humor. I remember the somewhat enthusiastic reactions of contemporary journalists labeling Kolya as overly sugary kitsch. With the benefit of hindsight, I evaluate Kolya as a positive mainstream film for the widest audience, which has secured its place in the history of cinema. Overall impression: 75%. (12/30/2018)

In the rich history of Czech cinema, I have this one firmly "on the box", and perhaps permanently. The script is bursting with strong emotions, with the precise Jan Svěrák behind the camera and his father Zdeněk at his best. That is something that the other films at the Oscars just couldn't compete with. Unforgettable. (06/15/2012)

A screenplay by Zdeněk Svěrák is a guarantee of quality and a good dose of intelligent humor. Kolja is an excellently written film that can make me laugh out loud. I appreciate that Zdeněk Svěrák manages to avoid cringey melodrama even in scenes that were deliberately written to appeal to emotion. He manages to write them in such a way that they are part of the film and don’t feel distractive. I can’t really think of anything negative to say about this film, I'm simply a fan of Svěrák. (07/01/2016)

This is one of the best films I know, simply because this is Svěrák in his essence, both as a writer and as an actor, where he has perfected his conception of the character. The humor here is beautiful, and the lines as they flow from his mouth are so natural it's unbelievable. It also doesn't have a loathsome American happy ending, so I'm continually excited. (03/15/2018)