Review of The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) by Georges D — 19 Aug 2009

The novel by Kundera (among other of his books) had made a very strong impression on me when I read it more than 10 years ago and as with every adaptation I was a bit worried about how the director would translate the story into images.

.. Good news: Philip Kaufman (and Jean-Claude Carrière) made a very good script out of the book and the directing in his patient unravelling transcribes very adequately the changing complexity of the characters.

The cast is perfect (including Clovis Cornillac in what must have been one of his very first roles), with actors perfectly ambiguous though strongly characterized. As with the book, the film ends on a very unconclusive note in terms of what we can really think regarding the true deep feelings of Tomas and more generally regarding the kind of love that bound the characters together.

The historical background with the Prag Spring adds to the tragic dimension of the individual fate we witness: freedom seems to be always overwhelmed by stronger currents...