Review of The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) by Jack F — 12 Aug 2008

It's too bad Philip Kaufman isn't more productive, because when he's on his game the results are usually quite impressive. He was on a real roll in the 80's, making one undisputed classic (The Right Stuff), and this more-overlooked picture, which is nonetheless one of the great sweeping romantic epics of modern times.

I've heard Daniel Day-Lewis considers this one of his weaker performances, but I have no idea why. As always, he is totally believable and immersed in his character. The chemistry he shares with Juliette Binoche (has she ever given a performance that was less than stellar?) and Lena Olin (in what is probably her best performance) is scintillating, not least because they are invariably naked or in the the throes of passion.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being is VERY erotic, but not in a cheap way. The sex scenes here are handled with more artistry and attention to human detail than one comes to expect from movies, and the way political history is mingled in with the very personal love triangle feels natural.

This is a long film but a rewarding one. Every scene has something special in it, whether it be a line of dialogue or a certain shot or a piece of one of the actors' performance. Overall a masterful adaptation (I haven't read the novel, I hear it's more involved with the political storyline) and a title that should be seen by more people.