Okresní přebor - Poslední zápas Pepika Hnátka

I thought that the odds of me ever going to the cinema for a film about football and liking it – and liking it more than two friends that once played football at some lower level – were the same as winning the lottery. But it happened. True story. The film version of Sunday League is a perfect tragic-comedy with flawless performances (a brilliant Miroslav Krobot!), great comedy timing, and realistic dialogues (when was the last time this happened in a Czech film?). And even though you’ll go looking for just fun, the film has a rather sad plot arc that really touched me. The character of Coach Hnátek, who has sacrificed almost everything for his trivial hobby, is beautifully tragic in its own way, while the characters around him (in particular Vetchý) are a chapter on their own. If it was a tiny bit more socially critical, Sunday League would be a work of Forman proportions. I think I’ll go buy myself a lottery ticket. 9/10 (31.03.2012)

Prušinovský hat sich von einer der besten Folgen der Serie, welche den Titel Na váhu (Einmal bitte wiegen) belehren lassen und einen hervorragenden Schauspieler und despotischen Irren aus dem Dejvice-Theater in Prag an Land gezogen. Der tschechische Schauspieler Krobot bringt ein Stück titanischer Tragödie in Sunday League - Pepik Hnatek's Final Match hinein, als ob der Ruhm destruktiver Fußballgiganten oder stürmischer Kerle für einen Moment aufleuchtete. Das Drehbuch enthält viele simplere, jedoch zeitgleich geschmackvoll zusammengestellte Gags, die Dialoge wirken wie immer lebhaft, die schauspielerischen Darbietungen leicht übertrieben, jedoch äußerst unterhaltsam (Für den bekannten tschechischen Schauspieler Vetchý ist die rolle des Jiřinas genau die richtige und er ist mit seiner Kabaretthaftigekeit vollends unwiderstehlich). Außerdem gibt da ja noch Krobots persönliche Geschichte und das äußerst problematische psychologische Profil gibt dem Film ohne große Probleme einen Drive, wobei die Karussells der Messe, der zwielichtige Karusellsgeschäftsmann Norbert Lichý oder der weltliche Primitive Jaroslav Plesl ihm den richtigen ländlichen Hauch verleihen. Wenn denn nur da die tschechische Volkskomödie nicht so aussähe, wie sie aussieht, so wäre Sunday League - Pepik Hnatek's Final Match ein solides überdurchschnittliches Fernsehen mit vielen Momenten potenziellen Kultcharakters (Jiřinas geniale Analyse des Notizbuchs vom Trainer klingt noch immer in meinen Ohren nach) ... doch angesichts der Autokratie der Geschmacklosigkeit und Demenz in den tschechischen Komödien mutet hier Prušinovskýs Film in etwa wie ein kleines Wunder an. Es ist mir eben schon lange nicht mehr vorgekommen, dass ich völlig ohne Scham über Bodenständigkeit gelacht hätte, denn das ist kein Selbstzweck, sondern poetisch. Trotz aller pflügbaren Vorbehalte wird hier das Tor exakt getroffen. Na klaro... [70%] (27.03.2012)

The prequel with Krobot. About kicking about, but nothing really to do with soccer, even on the sidelines. A “no really so much" comedy for regular people, where the regular people isn’t a synonym for fecal jokes, depravity and red-neckedness. If only Prušinský hadn’t tripped himself up with an unnecessary own-goal in the last twenty minutes, when it loses its ability to score that goal... But enough recrimination... It’s just good! Just the Spurs supporters will be in tears again. (30.03.2012)

Since I'm a sucker for the intersection of the TV and film mediums, I'm having fun with the intersection of Sunday League. That's all. But that’s also enough. (01.09.2016)

Ein schöner Film. Mit Fußball kenne ich mich nicht aus. So wie bei der Serie Okresní přebor war es aber auch hier kein Handicap. Sunday League - Pepik Hnatek's Final Match ist ein großartig geschriebener und besetzter Film mit ausgezeichneten Schauspielleistungen. Seine bittersüße Stimmung hat mich an Klassiker wie Hogo fogo Homolka oder Der Feuerwehrball erinnert. Vielen Dank dafür, ich habe schon lange nicht mehr so sehr (und von Herzen) gelacht (vor allem bei einem tschechischen Film). Gleichzeitig war ich auch gerührt und musste über den Filminhalt nachdenken. (19.09.2012)

It's one thing to view this film as a run-of-the-mill comedy full of great situational humour, but even more than the series, Sunday League – Pepik Hnatek's Final Match is a proper local district showdown, a perfectly harmonious and delightful look at the complex workings and bitter troubles of a small provincial club, which Prušinovský, with his open-minded approach, has taken to the status of the best village comedy since Menzel's My Sweet Little Village. Apart from his direction, the main credit goes to Miroslav Krobot, who, as a born Spartan and a hard advocate of best practices is absolutely perfect and handles the main role as brilliantly as possible. Similarly, Ondřej Vetchý once again confirms his status as one of the best Czech actors of today and his performance is simply incredible. The entire cast is flawless, actually, and if you're someone even only partially interested in village football, at least one character will look more than familiar to you. And therein lies the greatest strength, but at the same time perhaps also a bit of a weakness of the Sunday League, because it’s probably difficult for someone who doesn’t like football to fully understand all the jokes, innuendos or Hnátek's life attitude. But if you love football as much as I do, you’ll have to admit that Prušinovský literally pulled it off without losing a point. 85% (17.09.2012)

Obwohl es in Sunday League von meinen Lieblingsschauspielern aus den verschiedensten Theatern nur so wimmelt, bin ich irgendwie nicht dem Zauber dieses Films verfallen und weiß nicht, worin das überall betonte Tolle besteht. Ganz sicher ist das kein schlechter Film, aber ich habe mehr erwartet. Ich frage mich nur, ob es eine gute Idee war, mir den Film und die Serie auf DVD zu kaufen. (03.03.2013)

Unfortunately, I haven't had the luck to see the TV series "Okresní přebor" (The District Championship), but considering the positive reviews it received, I told myself that I should at least give a chance to the movie that is based on the series and serves as its prequel. Here, you will encounter all the characters that you liked from the series and that have become iconic. The veterinarian who acts as the team doctor and has trouble pronouncing the letter "r", which he replaces with a beautiful "j", Jirka Luňák, who is such a repulsive kiss-up and scumbag that it's not even funny, but also a great club chairman portrayed by Luďek Sobotka. However, there is one character here who never physically appeared in the series, more or less. Josef Hnátek is the coach of the Slavoj Houslice team, a team that doesn't have what it takes to move up from the district championship. Nevertheless, he tries his best and leads his team with a firm hand, even if he may slightly underestimate the players, although it's true that he doesn't overestimate them either. But Hnátek has one problem. His health. The film revolves around his health, even though football is still the main focus. Pepík Hnátek is played by the brilliant Miroslav Krobot, who simply elevates every character to the pedestal of the unforgettable. He proved that in "Příběhy obyčejného šílenství" (Normal People), "Účastníci zájezdu" (Holiday Makers), but especially in the film "Dům" (The House). "Okresní přebor - Poslední zápas Pepíka Hnátka" (The District Championship - Pepík Hnátek's Last Match) is just proof that this theater director embarked on an acting career at the right moment. However, it's not just Krobot who rules the film, it's also the subtle humor with which the film is filled. It's not slapstick, although in some cases you will laugh out loud, but I think that's exactly the strong point of the whole series and the movie. Memorable characters, good humor, and of course, football. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2013/01/tobruk-valcik-s-basirem-2-dny-v-new.html (04.03.2013)