Vratné lahve (2007)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Jan Sverák

Writers:

Zdenek Sverák (story)
Zdenek Sverák (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 March 2007 (Czech Republic)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Job | Marital Problem | Recycling | Infidelity | Retired

Awards:

7 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Zdenek Sverák	...	Josef Tkaloun
Tatiana Vilhelmová	...	Daughter
Daniela Kolárová	...	Tkalounová
Alena Vránová	...	Headmaster
Jirí Machácek	...	Deputy headmaster Landa
Miroslav Táborský	...	Subrt
Martin Pechlát	...	Karel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nella Boudová	...	Teacher Ptácková
Jan Budar	...	Úlisný
Pavel Landovský	...	Rezác
Filip Renc	...	Man with a cell phone
Jirí Schmitzer
Ladislav Smoljak
Robin Soudek	...	Tomík
Vera Tichánková	...	Lamková
Ondrej Vetchý	...	Rezác jr.
Jan Vlasák	...	Wasserbauer
Lenka Zahradnická

Also Known As:

Empties (International: English title)
Botellas retornables (Argentina) [es]
Butelki zwrotne (Poland) [pl]
Elämä kierrättää (Finland) [fi]
Leergut (Germany) [de]
Povratne boce (Croatia) (wide-release title) [hr]
Vuoti a rendere (Italy) [it]
Zoi se anakyklosi (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

Czech Republic:100 min | Argentina:100 min

Country:

Czech Republic | UK

Language:

Czech | German

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Germany:o.Al. | Czech Republic:U | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-7 | Netherlands:6 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Czech Republic

Company:

Biograf Jan Sverak

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Eliska is supposed to be a professional teacher of German, yet in the German sentences she speaks in the course of the movie, her German has a heavy Czech accent, much worse than that of her supposed student (listen to her pronunciation of the word "schoen", for example.) And, when Eliska is asked to translate the sentence, "I work for the city administration," her German translation makes no grammatic sense ("an der Stadtamt").

Movie Connections:

References Kolja (1996)

The Return Of The Kings

Vratné Lahve (written by Zdenek Sverák, directed by Jan Sverák) Father and son. Ten years ago they made film together, it became tremendously successful and won an Oscar. That was Kolya. After that they tried to tell the story of Czech RAF fighters during WW2, which was not so successful, mainly because of the historical, somewhat pathetic theme. Now they are back. After years and years of rewriting the script, son finally accepted his father's work and made it into film, which may be very well theirs best.

Main character Tkaloun (played by Zdenek Sverák) is an nervous, over-aged basic school teacher living with his slowly resigning wife and struggling to find a new way of life for himself after he leaves his teaching job. When he accepts new work in a supermarket as clerk responsible for storing empty glass bottles, he finds (and shows us) that it is never too late for being kind to other people and for life itself.

This film is very funny and moving - in a best way possible. It is also almost ultimately believable, as every scene and every bit of the dialog is taken from life. Audience in the theater started laughing shortly after the beginning and continued throughout the film till the final credits. Everyone was leaving the screening with a great smile on the face, filled with pleasant thoughts.

I don't know when it will hit the theaters abroad or in rest of Europe. But when it does, be sure not to miss it.

9/10