Forgotten Light

It's been a long, long time since I watched Forgotten Light, but I have to admit, it grabbed my attention right away—something I absolutely didn’t expect. At the time, Czech films didn’t really interest me, and there weren’t many that felt worth watching. But this one is different, and it's a shame more people don’t talk about it. Bolek Polívka delivers a fantastic performance, and the cast is packed with talent that keeps it engaging from start to finish. Even though the film is quite sad, it left a lasting impression on me, and I still think about it fondly, all these years later. (04/07/2011)

A very pleasant surprise indeed, a departure from the mainstream production that not only offers an interesting and novel plot and a whole host of great actors, but also often takes a good jab at American realities. The episode from the town of Marlow in particular is very apt, the screenwriter did not leave a single dry thread on the bloated American legal system. And the denouement at the very end is just awesome. As for the actors, I liked Chris Cooper the most and James Marsden, whom I knew only as Cyclops from X-Men, was a pleasant surprise. All in all a very interesting little film that can be highly recommended. (09/30/2004)

Michálek's work was a success... true, the title is a bit misleading, because with the exception of a few motifs and quotes it has very little in common with Deml's classic... of course, faith plays the lead role, but Polívka's pastor character is far from the troublemaking and inner skepticism of the book, and the whole film sheds light on his determination to help and the belief that true faith means love of man. The film flows somehow harmoniously, humbly, yet it has an extraordinary captivating power (also because of the musical accompaniment)... Above all, I should probably praise the excellent acting performances of all the main characters - the somewhat atypically calm and pensive role of Bolek Polívka, the excellent creation of Veronika Žilková and the traditionally cheerful Jiří Pech. Forgotten Light is quiet water that grinds the shores in such a way that after all these years I rank it among the best that has flowed through the bed of Czech post-revolutionary cinematography. (09/30/2004)