Fair Play

A very decent attempt to make a great Czech sports film, with excellent performances and a well chosen theme. But one small detail spoils the purely realistic feel of the whole project - the main characters of the plot work in a skillfully reconstructed early 1980s retro, but it's as if no one else existed outside of them at that time. Of course, it is not only the sporting performances of Bárdos and Josefíková that are a joy to behold, and that is what it’s all about. Aňa Geislerová also royally played the role of a mother several years ago and she still has what it takes and is finding new acting roles for herself all the time. For which I thank her again. (11/07/2014)

Run, Andula, run! So, actually... Take steroids, Andula, take steroids! The topic of "anabolic government programs for top athletes of the Eastern bloc through personal drama, we say hello to Kratochvílová and Fibinger" looks promising on paper and is likely to take moral and ethical (not only) historical skeletons out of the closet. Skeletons everyone prefers to remain silent about even today. But as a result, Fair Play doesn't play fair play with the viewer, because it opens the door of this closet so little that even a malnourished infant would have a significant problem putting his little finger inside. Sadly, the movie only stays on the surface and does not go into details. There is no room for having own opinion beyond the standardized Czechoslovak's conciliatory view of the normalization period in a style “this is how things worked during this period, it is not our fault, what can we do about it today". The same approach is true for most of Czech movies. Which is an even bigger letdown because this movie has a large potential to get out of this cursed box of current non-documentaries in the Czech republic. In fact, even the main story line "can she run so fast?" does not work, because of the Summer Olympic Games 1984, i.e. it is soon clear what this means for the finals. Simply another movie with good performances (although Bárdosová is clumsy, especially in tense scenes with Geislerová, but in those scenes when she is silent and only sweats, she looks determined and convincing) and routine craftsmanship that is not bad, not boring, but despite the theme has nothing to say. And so, the movie says nothing and just keeps up with the others, meaning, it politely remains silent, while another layer of dust is collected on the skeleton in the closet... (23/02/2015)

It’s been a long time since I’ve had such an intense but at the same time a scary experience at the cinema. At first glance, Fair Play looks like a classic sports drama. Watching it, however, made me realize that classic sports drama is a concept that only Hollywood has taught me to perceive. So, let’s take out the classic outline – someone sets a goal for themselves, they’re bad at it, then they get good, there’s some kind of trouble at the end, but it all turns into a happy ending. But this movie is different. Fair Play might be about a sport, but it’s also about the modern day. And I’d say it’s mainly about the modern day. Judith Bardós delivered a god-like performance – sober, human and natural. When it comes to the mom who was portrayed by Anna Geislerová, I kept thinking that if this wasn’t a movie, then this could be the very same neighbors I have in my own apartment building, so believable was her character. And that’s exactly why I was so immersed in their story. Including the series of unanswered questions. For example, the situation with her dad could have been handled way better, in my opinion. I personally can’t imagine leaving my family and emigrating because of the regime. But I also can’t imagine the secret police being nice to the people who are “acting out” and, for example, give them a month to change their mind about cooperating. Even so, I have to pay a compliment to them, because I’ve never seen such a distinctive, depressing and sad movie from that era. On top of all that, it was a solid piece of filmmaking. Fair Play is definitely a movie that the whole nation should find worthy thinking about. (13/03/2014)

I applaud because this really worked as a whole. The 80s, a story that nails the viewer to their chair and reminds them a bit of what was and what isn’t a given. Judit did a great job, and since she was new to me, I enjoyed getting a peek at this unfamiliar face in different positions. The direction was excellent too. The fact that I accidentally came across the film now that the Tokyo Olympics are in full swing is only enhancing my cinematic experience. And I guess that's why I can't score it any other way. (27/07/2021)

The first of those three films our country produces every year that we can be proud of. The story is simple and its scope and visuals are not as large-format as Burning Bush, but it has similar internal power and even more sensitively captured details. You will be touched and sad, but you will also be glad you’ve seen this. (05/03/2014)