Hospoda

At the beginning of the second half of the 90s, there was an understandable fatigue from the rapid post-revolutionary progress, catching up with the West, transformations, ambitions, and other annoying elements inseparably linked to the newly regained freedom. And nothing reflected this more at that time than the TV series Pub, whose unifying theme was the solid barricade of the regulars' table, securely repelling any attempt to bring any social, cultural, or technical innovation into their environment. It is all the more entertaining to watch how Drejnar's often silly plots escape the joints under the improvisational circus of the participants, which takes control of the whole series after the boring, tight first episode. Given the understandable effort to set up that regulars' table according to the rule of the saying that the pub is the only place where a bricklayer chats with a doctor and a tiler with a lawyer, the motley crew is composed of then-stereotypically grasped characters such as the poor accordion player (Vondruška), the savvy lawyer (Kanyza), the peeved business rat (Potměšil), the simple-minded boiler man (Poloczek), and the distinguished doctor and local politician (Menzel, originally the already completely dismissed Kopecký was supposed to play). Overseeing them all is the quirky pub owner (Nárožný) with his kitchen Sancho Panza Dvořák. Such a lineup of characters would not be anything special if there had not been a natural evolution during the first series, often initiated apparently by the actors themselves. The weakest link is undoubtedly Menzel, no one believes his portrayal of an elegant intellectual, and his uninteresting declamations delivered in an affected literary language with his eyes wandering across the table where the text is hidden remind us of how dull the series could be if followed purely by the script. On the other hand, the character of Kanyza, who occupied the position of the second representative of regulars' intelligence, is more intriguing. After a few episodes, the outlines of this cunning lawyer slowly fill out with the tragic image of a completely cynical and ideologically simplistic alcoholic (everyone here drinks during working hours, but here we are talking about the ambulatory phase of half a bottle of rum at ten in the morning in front of the courthouse), just months before a huge personal and professional tragedy. This is also connected with the reality of art imitating life, allowing us to observe a convicted StB agent reflecting on the unchanging corrupt nature of a weak individual. Otherwise terrible actor Pavel Vondruška surprisingly fits into his role as a pub tough guy, capable of taking boots off a dead body, and Potměšil again brilliantly fulfills his role of 90s scum personified. The true highlight, however, comes with the unbelievable natural performance of the 'sensitive primitive' from the boiler room, Mr. Babula, who measures everything by the number of beers and will surely one day be inhabiting the picture of the pub's churchyard. Along with him, there will most likely be the fantastic portrayal of the pub regular Dusko by Petr Nárožný, whose purely dadaist improvisational inserts ("If I were a little dwarf like this, I would totally be satisfied with such deeds."; "Oh chief, here comes Vlčko Plčko." "Well, now the sick goat will come.") completely shift the series beyond its original intention. And I refuse to admit that in a time when every godforsaken trifle has prequels and spin-offs, there is nothing like a spin-off with Jaroslav Dušek. Of course, every setting needs its permanent antagonist, embodied here by the hysterical jock imbecile Václav Knoop, who is also the building manager, surely the most terrifying combination of roles for a series adoring the pub's peace and tranquility. It is all the more bitter to realize that this type of character is socially dominant nowadays. In recent years, the Pub series has achieved mild recognition due to the further acceleration of social events, just as it did at the time of its creation. Similarly to then, it may again find its place in a time of general pressure on values, changing environments, and demands for individual and social responsibility in turbulent times. These are all aspects and values that the series stands against with its adoration of contented stagnation and natural simplicity. Essentially, it is a cleansing nihilistic experience. (09/16/2021) (less) (more)