Body

(50th KVIFF) With its inconspicuous humour that doesn’t draw any attention to itself, and which in fact many people can overlook in a serious drama about serious things, Body reminded me a little of Hausner. The film felt particularly detached, but kind at the same time – which is a little contradictory, and I’ve no idea how Szumowská managed it. Above-average for the festival, no doubt. 70 % (11/07/2015)

The Poles have a firm grasp on these subtle dramas, and The Body is no exception. Although it didn't quite strike a chord with my emotions, there is a sense of delicate female touch and gentle subtle humor present. A very well-crafted chamber drama with Polish taboo themes that is easily accessible for Czech audiences. (13/11/2022)

A bizarre movie. At least for me it was. Bizarre not only because of certain scenes, but mainly because most of the time the plot was moving as slowly as frozen honey, and yet I somehow couldn't stop watching. Janusz Gajos gave an excellent performance as usual, and I was confirmed again in my distrust of psychologists. (25/02/2020)

Such brilliant directing is not often seen. Every shot considered to the smallest detail, every perspective, change of tone, and an atmosphere based on a clear and completed intention. A subtle film about prefabricated spiritualism, crisis of faith, reconciliation with the pain and senseless cruelty of reality, and the search for lost closeness in an apartment where the spirits of the dead reside. The triumph of economical acting and the comedic talent of Janis Gajos. Inconspicuously clever, overwhelming, because it speaks about the most serious things with unprecedented ease and tender sarcasm - with one single mistake... an unnecessarily stretched and slightly awkward conclusion. But even so, the Berlin Directing Award could not have landed in a better place. #kviff (06/07/2015)

A screenwriter's house of cards that tries to mask the calculating nature of the plot by needlessly adding situations and supporting characters that ultimately make no sense, only making you wonder if they're not perhaps there to round out the film's running time. When the plot needs to move forward, it uses the oldest of methods to do so (for example, we need a character to do something she would never do otherwise, so we get her drunk), making the overall point of the film, which feels like an ironic smirk and a wave of the hand, all the more unamusing. The cinematography does what it can, and some scenes could definitely be lent to a capable film, this in itself is a stinking bore. (04/07/2016)