Madam President

I saw three Czech films from recent times over the weekend, which are available on Netflix. We Can with a Man, Two Words as the Key and a fairy tale for adults full of obvious nonsense, which maybe handles everything from it all too sovereignly the best. From start to finish, we know what to expect and it won't be missed - a predictable Cinderell-ish-Notting Hill-ish romance. Sometimes we hear a reference to Czech politics, to the former president and we can dream about whether we would like to have someone like Čaputová in the Castle as well. Geislerová and Vetchý are well-rehearsed, they can't disappoint in this, but they don't bring anything new. In the end, the most pleasant sight is Vanda Chaloupková, she looks damn good. It's silly and simple, but at least it doesn't bore as terribly as those other two Czech productions on Netflix. (10/29/2023)

While The Fairy Tales for Ema was a pure romantic comedy, Madame President is exclusively a romantic fairy tale for adults. Havlík came up with a nice idea to offer the Geisler/Vetchý pairing again, but it still needs someone else in the script to make it at least a little more believable. Even in the book version, it's a purposeful respite, with a happy ending for everyone, even the last doorknob. Whoever likes something like that will be fully satisfied. Others can, of course, happily look elsewhere. (11/01/2022)

What could be worse professionally than when you, as a member of the security team on duty, are asked where the subject you’re guarding is and you just helplessly shrug your shoulders? Trying for something like Notting Hill, where Ondřej Vetchý as the suitor of the head of state takes proven genre steps towards a cringe-level inspection. I seriously expected that at the end of that gathering, or whatever it was, he would appear as a reporter from Chisel and Brush and ask a question that would romantically save the situation! I also had a script where Miloš, tired of clicking on the internet, takes advantage of the spokesperson’s distraction and, in a blonde wig, sneaks through the accessible entrance into the lower castle to hunt for “passports.” I gave it to Vráťa for authorization, but unfortunately, it fell into the shredder. Everything falls in there now. (02/06/2023)