Cold War
After World War II, Poland is a wrecked nation trying to regroup under Soviet occupation. To remind his countryfolk of their cultural greatness, composer Wiktor (Tomasz Kot) sponsors a trip into the country to learn about traditional folk music and dance. With government agent Kaczmarek (Borys Szyc), he forms a folk arts troop celebrating Polish traditions.
The star of the show is young Zula (Joanna Kulig), a singer with secrets. Zula and Wiktor’s clandestine affair develops into love. Yet her passionate, dramatic nature clashes with his quiet, reflective manner. Their contentious relationship stokes the show’s success.
The Soviets are not fans of traditional Polish art; they want songs and dances that celebrate Stalin and the glory of communism. Wiktor recoils at passing off Soviet propaganda as Polish culture, while Kaczmarek is eager to earn favor with the Stalinist regime.
Wiktor’s way out is to defect to the West. He begs Zula to join him, but the plan goes awry and they are separated by the Iron Curtain.
Can Wiktor and Zula overcome a massive geopolitical standoff? Or are some problems bigger than love?
Grandly romantic, politically savvy and beautifully acted, Cold War is a sweeping love story. Director Pawel Pawlikowski (Ida) brilliantly combines stories of cultures and people torn apart by the Cold War. It’s an astoundingly layered work, made even more impressive by clocking in at under 90 minutes.
Cutting between freewheeling Paris and the sparse landscapes of Soviet-occupied Poland, Pawlikowski shows the effects the Iron Curtain had on Europe. The story continues in segments as the years go by. Zula thrives as a singer but is a slave to government officials. Wiktor lives in freedom and obscurity. Both long for the other but can’t cope with the realities of living together in either Poland or France.
Pawlikowski uses a Polish folk song as his metaphor for how their relationship evolves. As Zula matures, so does her performance. The song goes from a childish rendition of a love song to a deeply felt torch song expressive of both the joy and pain of love. It’s a fascinating evolution that will have you Googling Polish folk music.
Showing Zula’s maturation from ambitious girl to an alcoholic star, Kulig offers a fine performance.
Kot has a less showy role, for Wiktor’s journey is more internal. Still, his subtle, nuanced performance is a grand counterpoint to Kulig’s Zula.
Cold War is a great love story compressed in time. It’s worth the trip to track down this gem.
Great Drama • R • 89 mins.
~~~ New this Week ~~~
A Dog’s Way Home
Bella (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard) is a faithful pup who loses her humans on a trip. Thus begins a 400-mile journey back to her home.
Along the way, Bella meets wild animals, helps others and makes new friends.
If you’ve seen Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, this should be familiar territory. Expect a heartfelt, story about a dog’s devotion to its people. Use your love of animals and cute internet dog videos as your guide to whether this flick is worth the ticket.
Prospects: Flickering • PG • 137 mins.
On the Basis of Sex
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Felicity Jones) is a wife and mother with a successful attorney husband. She is also a lawyer, but her achievements tend to be dismissed or belittled by her colleagues. Only husband Marty (Armie Hammer) sees Ruth as an equal. With his help, she takes a case to the appeals court. The stakes are big: how the U.S. government treated gender equality.
This story of a pivot point in the life of the famed Supreme Court justice should be inspiring. Ginsburg herself has given the movie her seal of approval, and Jones is a great actress. See it to inspire younger generations — or yourself. For a look at Justice Ginsburg’s accomplishments as a whole, look up the documentary RBG.
Prospects: Bright • PG-13 • 120 mins.
Replicas
When a car crash kills his family, Will Foster (Keanu Reeves) rejects his fate. Stealing biotechnology equipment from his employer, he tries to clone his lost wife and children. His company catches on and claims ownership of the clones.
Meanwhile, Will may have bigger problems. His family didn’t come back perfectly. Can he can fix them, or is he destined to watch them die again? Can he subvert nature? Or is he a monster for trying?
Reeves can be charming, but this sci-fi parable about the dangers of technology and human nature is a muddled mess.
Prospects: Dim • PG-13 • 107 mins.
The Upside
Billionaire Phil (Bryan Cranston) is a paraplegic tired of his dull life. He takes a chance when he hires recently paroled Dell (Kevin Hart) as his caregiver. The mismatched pair finds common ground and fun as they explore the world together.
This is the bungled Americanized remake of a lovely French film called The Intouchables. Performances look terrible, the writing ham-fisted and the direction silly.
Prospects: Dim • PG-13 • 126 mins.