Watches
July 30, 2021
Pawlikowski's little arthouse romance. Cold War is a film with quite a bit of potential, though not everything meshes together well enough. Some of Pawlikowski's choices are a bit simple and mundane, which doesn't quite correspond with the grave and solemn atmosphere he chases.
Wiktor is the director of a folk troupe, a group of singers and dancers made up of local farmers. Among them is Zula, a feisty girl. It's clear from the very start the two are destined to be together. But practicalities get in the way, as Wiktor longs for the freedom of the Western world, while Zula prefers to stay in Poland.
The stark black and white cinematography is nice and the camera work surprisingly modern, the 4:3 ratio is a big disappointment though, and the folk music is an acquired taste (read: it was pretty grating). The structure of the film is interesting, but the short runtime makes it tough to care for the two. A shorter intro, a better soundtrack and a tighter focus on their relationship might have done wonders, but it's definitely worth a try.