Identity Card

The last thing our cinema needs at the moment is another bittersweet episodic comedy drama about surviving "back then, all those years ago" from the Jarchov stable... But what can I do if I simply have a soft spot for this type of Czech mainstream movie? Especially when the mix of "fun with the serious" in Identity Card is the best such mix in a long time. And if the parade of great (and well-played) characters and individual scenes were accompanied by a more interesting main protagonist, my satisfaction would have been even greater. (2010-10-25)

I am a generation (born in 1986) that has never experienced anything as ceremonial as the official issuing of identification cards. I have to say that I am quite glad because I have already had three graduations, one as the winner of the best bachelor's thesis competition, and I must say that it was also an event that did not impress me in any way. Everything was very official, staged. Still, it was better than the theater that young people had to witness during the socialist era. The depiction of the issuing of identification cards in this film is not necessarily epic, but it is definitely portrayed excellently. On one side, there are loyal communists, and on the other side, there are rebels who want to resist, even just a little. It was a sad time, and I am glad that I was born at a time when the communists' bell was tolling and a bright capitalist future awaited us. Yes, there is a bit of irony in that, but the review should not dwell on it. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2013/02/obcansky-prukaz-2010-75.html (2013-03-15)

A film with a pleasant, fresh and (with a few exceptions) not that well known of a cast, but which will be appreciated mainly by those nostalgic for the depicted era. For me, a person who didn't nod and say "Yeah, yeah, that's it" all the time while watching, because he simply didn't experience it, I was left with a strangely incoherent story made up of various episodes, a parade of typical Šabach characters (so nothing original either), an incredibly long runtime (it seemed a dull three hours to me) and otherwise nothing much. In short, another variation on a theme that has been seen several times before. (2011-12-18)

A youthful revolt in a communist reservation, where they drank mixed firewater, listened to the drums of Western shamans, and sought non-violent paths to escape. Petr Jarchovský, through Šabach, pumps out bittersweet emotions again, but this time, due to the age and innocence of the actors, it somewhat tempers the bad through shared experiences. The mumbling non-actors in the lead roles bring an authenticity of uncertainty and earnest amateurism, which is an interesting contrast to the elegantly groomed Cosy Dens. Where did Macháček’s aware, conspiratorial comrade suddenly disappear to? Did he drown in the grease of his hairstyle? (2023-12-13)

Revolting, grinning, and sobbing. Considering how fed up I am with the places Czech filmmakers constantly turn, Identity Card is an incredibly uplifting experience. Additionally, the fact that Petr Jarchovský is the one writing for Ondřej Trojan this time is literally its salvation, because I wouldn't believe Jan Hřebejk's returns to the past even with a C cup. (2014-01-17)