Kolya

Kolya ist ein guter Film, weil er alle Merkmale von Svěráks klassischem Drehbuchstil aufweist - vor allem die leichten und brillant-witzigen Dialoge. Er ist auch deshalb ein guter Film, weil alle Schauspieler unterschiedslos großartige Leistungen erbringen, angefangen beim Drehbuchautor selbst (man kauft ihm seltsamerweise den trockenen Lehrer ab :o)), bis hin zu dem süßen kleinen molligen Jungen Chalimon. Nicht so gut ist der Film allem deshalb, weil Jan Svěráks Hang zum Vordergründigen und zum Frontalangriff auf den Zuschauer deutlich wird. Er weiß, was funktioniert, und setzt es schamlos ein, wobei er jedoch ein erträgliches Maß bewahrt. Leider ist Kolya im Gegensatz zu Die Volksschule, eher ein todsicherer Angriff auf einen Oscar als ein starker und unverwechselbarer Film. Es fehlen die natürliche Erdung (was sagen Sie, Herr Kovář, gut, oder? :o)) und die stimmungsvolle Atmosphäre, die die großen Werke des Autors auszeichnet. Was ihn über dem Wasser des Kalküls hält, ist der Humor, aber auch die Tatsache, dass die Geschichte (ungewollt) den Zuschauer stets berührt. (24.09.2004)

I have written many times before that I do not have a fondness for sentimentality in movies and emotional manipulation, and the director's reliance on sentiment often has the opposite effect on me, sinking the film in my eyes. However, Kolya is, in the best sense of the word, a professionally written and directed piece, and it's not surprising that it was well-received both domestically and internationally. Although it's not my personal favorite, I believe that a clearer and higher quality film like The Elementary School deserves an Oscar more. I don't feel the need to revisit Kolya regularly, but unlike Czech cinema in the past 10-15 years, I don't consider it a waste of time. It is a pleasant combination of a simple, universally understandable story, likable characters, and heartwarming humor. I remember the somewhat enthusiastic reactions of contemporary journalists labeling Kolya as overly sugary kitsch. With the benefit of hindsight, I evaluate Kolya as a positive mainstream film for the widest audience, which has secured its place in the history of cinema. Overall impression: 75%. (30.12.2018)

In the rich history of Czech cinema, I have this one firmly "on the box", and perhaps permanently. The script is bursting with strong emotions, with the precise Jan Svěrák behind the camera and his father Zdeněk at his best. That is something that the other films at the Oscars just couldn't compete with. Unforgettable. (15.06.2012)

This is one of the best films I know, simply because this is Svěrák in his essence, both as a writer and as an actor, where he has perfected his conception of the character. The humor here is beautiful, and the lines as they flow from his mouth are so natural it's unbelievable. It also doesn't have a loathsome American happy ending, so I'm continually excited. (15.03.2018)

A screenplay by Zdeněk Svěrák is a guarantee of quality and a good dose of intelligent humor. Kolja is an excellently written film that can make me laugh out loud. I appreciate that Zdeněk Svěrák manages to avoid cringey melodrama even in scenes that were deliberately written to appeal to emotion. He manages to write them in such a way that they are part of the film and don’t feel distractive. I can’t really think of anything negative to say about this film, I'm simply a fan of Svěrák. (01.07.2016)