Fair Play

Run, Andula, run! So, actually... Take steroids, Andula, take steroids! The topic of "anabolic government programs for top athletes of the Eastern bloc through personal drama, we say hello to Kratochvílová and Fibinger" looks promising on paper and is likely to take moral and ethical (not only) historical skeletons out of the closet. Skeletons everyone prefers to remain silent about even today. But as a result, Fair Play doesn't play fair play with the viewer, because it opens the door of this closet so little that even a malnourished infant would have a significant problem putting his little finger inside. Sadly, the movie only stays on the surface and does not go into details. There is no room for having own opinion beyond the standardized Czechoslovak's conciliatory view of the normalization period in a style “this is how things worked during this period, it is not our fault, what can we do about it today". The same approach is true for most of Czech movies. Which is an even bigger letdown because this movie has a large potential to get out of this cursed box of current non-documentaries in the Czech republic. In fact, even the main story line "can she run so fast?" does not work, because of the Summer Olympic Games 1984, i.e. it is soon clear what this means for the finals. Simply another movie with good performances (although Bárdosová is clumsy, especially in tense scenes with Geislerová, but in those scenes when she is silent and only sweats, she looks determined and convincing) and routine craftsmanship that is not bad, not boring, but despite the theme has nothing to say. And so, the movie says nothing and just keeps up with the others, meaning, it politely remains silent, while another layer of dust is collected on the skeleton in the closet... (2015-02-23)

I applaud because this really worked as a whole. The 80s, a story that nails the viewer to their chair and reminds them a bit of what was and what isn’t a given. Judit did a great job, and since she was new to me, I enjoyed getting a peek at this unfamiliar face in different positions. The direction was excellent too. The fact that I accidentally came across the film now that the Tokyo Olympics are in full swing is only enhancing my cinematic experience. And I guess that's why I can't score it any other way. (2021-07-27)

The first of those three films our country produces every year that we can be proud of. The story is simple and its scope and visuals are not as large-format as Burning Bush, but it has similar internal power and even more sensitively captured details. You will be touched and sad, but you will also be glad you’ve seen this. (2014-03-05)

Unlike the main character, the film occasionally raises its knees quite high. And it doesn’t really work the way it's supposed to. Mainly through its occasional abbreviation in the development of Anna and Tomáš's relationship (meeting on the tram?), it undermines the effect of several related scenes, thus unnecessarily undermining the well-constructed dramatic storyline, which is mainly about personal dramas and moral dilemmas. Fortunately, these work on other levels (the coach, the mother). Yes, it will be mentioned many times, the martyr's pedestal that the director puts someone else on every moment is at times too schematic. But fortunately, the strength of the film lies in the performances. Bareš's STB agent, Malý's club doctor and especially Judit Bárdos brings interesting acting charm from Slovakia after a long time. Aňa tries hard, but she is too young a mother in the role that was stamped on the director at Negativ, instead of the intended Ivana Chýlková. Anyway, the film's a pleasant surprise, if only because it wants to come to terms with the recent past and isn't afraid to go its own way. (2014-03-06)

A very good film with two quite crucial "buts" for me, which I will describe in a slightly spoilerish P.S. Fair Play is filmed with ease, the period atmosphere is good and Judit Bárdos is absolutely great in the lead role. Surprisingly, I also liked Aňa Geislerová this time, who gives a very civil performance. It's a compelling, sad story that wants to make the viewer think, and I hope it will lead as many of them as possible to that conclusion.____Slightly spoilerish P.S.: I didn't like the fact that the mother and the coach didn't also involve the doctor in their plan to secretly administer the stromba to her daughter, because then there would be no risk of her "telling" (which is what happened). I'm also quite fed up with StB plots that always start, run and end the same way. (2014-10-12)