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DramaRomance

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

- A lovers’ story.

Successful surgeon Tomas leaves Prague for an operation, meets a young photographer named Tereza, and brings her back with him. Tereza is surprised to learn that Tomas is already having an affair with the bohemian Sabina, but when the Soviet invasion occurs, all three flee to Switzerland. Sabina begins an affair, Tom continues womanizing, and Tereza, disgusted, returns to Czechoslovakia. Realizing his mistake, Tomas decides to chase after her.

Release Date : 1988-02-05

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : The Saul Zaentz Company

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Daniel Day-Lewis

Character Name : Tomas

Original Name : Daniel Day-Lewis

Gender : Male

Juliette Binoche

Character Name : Tereza

Original Name : Juliette Binoche

Gender : Female

Lena Olin

Character Name : Sabina

Original Name : Lena Olin

Gender : Female

Derek de Lint

Character Name : Franz

Original Name : Derek de Lint

Gender : Male

Stellan Skarsgård

Character Name : The Engineer

Original Name : Stellan Skarsgård

Gender : Male

Erland Josephson

Character Name : The Ambassador

Original Name : Erland Josephson

Gender : Male

Pavel Landovský

Character Name : Pavel

Original Name : Pavel Landovský

Gender : Male

Donald Moffat

Character Name : Chief Surgeon

Original Name : Donald Moffat

Gender : Male

Daniel Olbrychski

Character Name : Interior Ministry Official

Original Name : Daniel Olbrychski

Gender : Male

Tomasz Borkowy

Character Name : Jiri

Original Name : Tomasz Borkowy

Gender : Male

Bruce Myers

Character Name : Czech Editor

Original Name : Bruce Myers

Gender : Male

Pavel Slabý

Character Name : Pavel's Nephew

Original Name : Pavel Slabý

Gender : Male

Pascale Kalensky

Character Name : Nurse Katja

Original Name : Pascale Kalensky

Gender : Male

Jacques Ciron

Character Name : Swiss Restaurant Manager

Original Name : Jacques Ciron

Gender : Male

Anne Lonnberg

Character Name : Swiss Photographer

Original Name : Anne Lonnberg

Gender : Female

László Szabó

Character Name : Russian Interrogator

Original Name : László Szabó

Gender : Male

Vladimír Valenta

Character Name : Mayor

Original Name : Vladimír Valenta

Gender : Male

Clovis Cornillac

Character Name : Boy in Bar

Original Name : Clovis Cornillac

Gender : Male

Consuelo De Haviland

Character Name : Tall Brunette

Original Name : Consuelo De Haviland

Gender : Female

Leon Lissek

Character Name : Bold Man in Bar

Original Name : Leon Lissek

Gender : Male

Jacqueline Abraham-Vernier

Character Name :

Original Name : Jacqueline Abraham-Vernier

Gender : Male

Judith Atwell

Character Name :

Original Name : Judith Atwell

Gender : Male

Claudine Berg

Character Name :

Original Name : Claudine Berg

Gender : Female

Jean-Claude Bouillon

Character Name :

Original Name : Jean-Claude Bouillon

Gender : Male

Miroslaw Beuer

Character Name :

Original Name : Miroslaw Beuer

Gender : Male

Niven Busch

Character Name :

Original Name : Niven Busch

Gender : Male

Margot Capelier

Character Name :

Original Name : Margot Capelier

Gender : Female

Victor Chelkoff

Character Name :

Original Name : Victor Chelkoff

Gender : Male

Monica Constandache

Character Name :

Original Name : Monica Constandache

Gender : Male

Jean-Claude Dauphin

Character Name : Swiss editor

Original Name : Jean-Claude Dauphin

Gender : Male

Dominique De Moncutt

Character Name :

Original Name : Dominique De Moncutt

Gender : Male

Bernard Lepinaux

Character Name :

Original Name : Bernard Lepinaux

Gender : Male

Josiane Lévêque

Character Name :

Original Name : Josiane Lévêque

Gender : Female

Peter Majer

Character Name :

Original Name : Peter Majer

Gender : Male

Charles Millot

Character Name : Lecturer in Geneva

Original Name : Charles Millot

Gender : Male

Gérard Moulévrier

Character Name :

Original Name : Gérard Moulévrier

Gender : Male

Jan Němec

Character Name : Cameraman filming the tanks in Prague

Original Name : Jan Němec

Gender : Male

Charly Oleg

Character Name :

Original Name : Charly Oleg

Gender : Male

Sylvie Plantard

Character Name :

Original Name : Sylvie Plantard

Gender : Male

Olga Baïdar-Poliakoff

Character Name :

Original Name : Olga Baïdar-Poliakoff

Gender : Female

Christine Potter

Character Name :

Original Name : Christine Potter

Gender : Male

Hana Maria Pravda

Character Name :

Original Name : Hana Maria Pravda

Gender : Female

Romano

Character Name :

Original Name : Romano

Gender : Male

André Sanfratello

Character Name :

Original Name : André Sanfratello

Gender : Male

Jiří Stanislav

Character Name :

Original Name : Jiří Stanislav

Gender : Male

Milos Szoboda

Character Name :

Original Name : Milos Szoboda

Gender : Male

Helenka Vernier

Character Name :

Original Name : Helenka Vernier

Gender : Male

Marrian Walters

Character Name :

Original Name : Marrian Walters

Gender : Female

Serge Delanoue

Character Name : Danseur (uncredited)

Original Name : Serge Delanoue

Gender : Male

Philip Kaufman

Character Name : Man walking on street outside Sabina's flat (uncredited)

Original Name : Philip Kaufman

Gender : Male

Isabelle Noérie

Character Name : Student (uncredited)

Original Name : Isabelle Noérie

Gender : Male

Reviews

F

Filipe Manuel Neto

@FilipeManuelNeto

2024-01-23

**The Unbearable lightness of Sex.** When the recently deceased Milan Kundera published “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” he probably knew that the book would be both loved and hated. Based on the philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche, it outlines a story full of eroticism between four characters amid the turmoil resulting from the Prague Spring in 1968, and the “years of lead” that followed. What this film did was adapt the novel to the cinema, with some changes and focusing attention on the two central characters. I read the book many years ago and didn't like it. In the book, the author exposes philosophical positions taken from Nietzsche's ideas and where he privileges sex and the search for pleasure while relativizing and diminishing love. No idea could be more different from my thinking. After all, what could be more fleeting than an orgasm? In a subtle way, the book ends up proving me right: the characters live very troubled lives until the moment they find the serenity that stable feelings, such as love and friendship, can bring to each person's life. From this short review, you can already tell that I didn't like the film. I still decided to watch it due to the amount of positive opinions I heard and the presence of some big names in cinema. Directed by Philip Kaufman, the film was made almost immediately after the book was published, but the adaptation is quite weak. The film essentially focuses on one thing: sex. I shouldn't be exaggerating if I say that we can't watch thirty minutes of film without see a naked woman or a couple in the act, and the film is almost three hours long. It was something that had to be part of the film, given the content of the book, but I think there was an exaggeration on the part of the producers and screenwriters. Nudity is very present, bluntly, from all angles, which makes the film heavier. With so much attention to sordid details, the rich characterization of Kundera's characters got lost somewhere: Tereza couldn't seem more confused and Tomás was transformed into a debauched maniac who can't see a woman in front of him and can't respect his wife. What about the book's political plot, in which Kundera exposes his aversion to his country's regime? The film tells us very little. The images of the Prague Spring are striking, in large part due to the superb cinematography and the way they combined archival footage with the film, and we have the feeling, from then on, that the authorities' control is suffocating, but no much more is told or revealed to us. Again, the attention is focused on nudity and sex, not on what matters in the book. On a positive note, we must highlight the performance of the cast, led by Daniel Day-Lewis and Juliette Binoche. Day-Lewis is undeniably a great actor and has immense talent, and the only thing that stops us from appreciating his performance more is the disgust for his character. Binoche, I confess, has already seemed much more interesting to me in other characters and works, but she also has enough space to shine. They also have the support of Lena Olin, Derek de Lint, and we can also count on the special participation of Stellan Skarsgård. On a technical level, in addition to the exquisite cinematography that I have already mentioned, we also have the excellent recreation of the period, palpable in all the props, sets and costumes and an excellent soundtrack.