Ragtime

A strong topic, a beautiful retro setting and architectural style and a gripping second half that narrows the complex story into a spatially limited racial conflict. But in all that effort to be complex, the story doesn’t feel coherent at all; the motifs are thrown one after another and I really don’t get why the first act had to say what it primarily said. Forman had everything set for another great film, but he ended up with a good looking period puzzle with uneven pace and at times a haphazard sequence of scenes. But I loved seeing the old James Cagney and a young Sam Jackson, who’s been speaking the same way probably since kindergarten. 70% (06/03/2021)

Miloš Forman is a legend, no question about that. But *Ragtime* feels quite middle-of-the-road and doesn’t quite hit the highs you'd expect. It gave me a bit of a Great Beauty vibe by Paolo Sorrentino at the start—lots of lavish parties, food everywhere (which made me think of the contrast with Forman's early days in New York, living off free samples at stores). The film sets up several storylines—some intriguing, others not so much—but overall, it felt strangely impersonal. And honestly, the runtime didn’t do it any favors. Ragtime tackles some interesting American themes, but it’s not one I’ll revisit, unlike Amadeus or some of Forman's other works. (19/02/2021)

My least favorite film by Miloš Forman. This is probably because it is too raw and the typical Forman viewer will not appreciate James Cagney or the side storyline about the pioneers of optical toys who succeeded as filmmakers. Forman's audience understands the struggle for freedom and there are too many layers here. (11/05/2017)

I wasn't looking forward to the movie Ragtime, mainly because of its very long duration. However, the beginning intrigued me and I set aside all prejudices and let myself get carried away by the very extensive plot. Miloš Forman is a master of cinematic art, and in this case, he proved that all of his work is of a high standard, especially in terms of production design, casting, and craftsmanship in both visual and auditory aspects. I liked how all the various storylines gradually intertwined nicely, leaving nothing to chance. The first hour and a half entertained me greatly; each character had something intriguing about them, and I was curious to see how their fate would unfold. However, the last sixty minutes became critical for me. The plot began to focus solely on Coalhouse Walker's revenge, leading to a significant slowing down of the story due to frequent dialogues and lack of action, causing my attention to slowly drift away. Nevertheless, I cannot deny that Forman managed to authentically depict the atmosphere and despicable amoral values of American citizens at the end of the 19th century, allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in this sad period quite easily. Ragtime is truly a complex work dominated mainly by excellent crowd scenes and quality acting performances, but in my opinion, Forman has directed better films. (25/12/2018)

An amazing film, I think one of Forman's very best. It presents a longing for freedom from multiple perspectives, gradually interweaving these initially seemingly separate stories and then tying them together at the end. All of this is seen by a man who was not an American and longed for the same things as his characters and was therefore able to look at the subject a little differently than his American counterparts might have. P.S. Great music by Randy Newman. (01/12/2019)