CWC D: Petr Vaclav. Czech Republic/France. 105 min. Sep 8, 5:30 pm Scotiabank 4 Sep 9, noon TIFF Bell Lightbox 3 Sep 14, 1:45 pm Jackman Hall. Rating: NNN
In a tiny Czech Republic town that’s home to a brothel, a minimart and a prison, Vaclav unleashes an absurd and disturbing comedy of miseries.
His film is populated by the despicable and selfish: a racist and paranoid prison guard, an obnoxious hypochondriac, an abusive bouncer and the desperate housewife who falls for him. They orbit each other, often yelling, polluting the air with whatever ails them and making the whole film feel suffocating as a result.
But they are fascinating, as is Vaclav’s detached watch over their stories. He finds absurd humour in their suffering. It’s okay to laugh, because you don’t feel sorry for any of them.
