brutal beauty

Rating: 7/10 (1 July 2019)

It's 1949 Poland. Wiktor is auditioning for performers in a folk music trope. He argues for beautiful blonde peasant Zula and they fall madly in love. She would become a star as the trope tours around the communist block. The two star-crossed lovers struggle through the Cold War.
The black and white photography is beautiful. The performances are great. The disjointed way of story telling is a little problematic with the subtitles. It can feel a bit rushed as the movie jumps in years. The emotions are not lost but I could spend more time with this melodrama. I almost miss bit of the story as the telling jumps around. It's the style of the movie. The brutal melodrama is matched by the abrupt style. Overall, this harsh world is very interesting.