if it was uplifting, it was always through tears

Rating: 10/10 (1 December 2018)

Pawel Pawlikowski's follow-up to Ida that won the Best Foreign Language film at the Oscars in 2015. This polish film set during the Cold War, feels like it was plucked straight out of the 50's. From the gorgeous black and white cinematography, to the stunning music that has such a variety but still seems to fit in every scene, and to the two main actors Joanna Kulig and Tomasz Kot. They did a fantastic job, I believed their chemistry, their desire to be together, but also their frustrations. There is a scene where Zula and Wiktor are on a boat and it reminds me of a scene in Charade with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant, just enjoying this quiet moment that they have together and looking out at people as they pass by. They know that this moment is fleeting, but they still take it in. It almost feels like a silent movie, and I wouldn't have minded if it was, but the music is so great in this that I'm glad it's not. This broken hearted story definitely isn't one to miss.