Betlémské světlo

Bethlehem Night reflects the contemporary short story work of Zdeněk Svěrák. For those familiar with his most recent work, the film is not as big a surprise as it is for others who wish the Svěrák & Svěrák brand would keep delivering the same pleasing (even cuddly) experiences. This time we follow something similar to the structure of Three Brothers, but in the adult genre. The Svěráks decided to explore the quirky world of the author and his literary characters. The spice is the deepening relationship with his wife in the late stages of retirement and the point is the defense against the fear of death. The general public has made it clear to the Svěráks that they find this kind of thing explicitly unpleasant and would prefer the traditional caress. For me, Bethlehem Night in particular is one of the last films to be hurt by the Covid measures. And since no miracle happened even in summer movie theaters, the situation was saved only by DVD and VOD. (2022.09.28)

The writer Šejnoha survives in a world he is no longer enough for and projects his sexist fantasies and desires into it. And the story falters precisely on the fundamental pillars of characters that are not sufficiently developed. Some of the characters are so flat that the filmmakers themselves admit it with the character's dialogue, "I am a flat character." The unfortunate thing is that the first half of the film is significantly weaker and less entertaining than the second half. But if the viewer sticks with the film for the first few dozen minutes, they won't miss out on the distinctively witty humor and hilarious situations that are part of everyone's life. The film is an average spectacle without much innovation in terms of cinematography. The story is original and interestingly conceived but falters on flat characters, confusing plot passages and unnecessary use of sex scenes. The film's music, humour and cast are particularly impressive. (2023.06.12)

Although I don't completely agree with Zdeněk Svěrák in many aspects, I understand his humor perfectly and enjoy it very much. In movies based on his scripts, you get humor which makes you both laugh and contemplate, and which is always accompanied by a huge dose of humanity. As a lifelong cynic, this should put me off, but the opposite is true. Honestly, Betlémské světlo did not rank among the best that I have seen from the Svěrák & Svěrák company, so I limited myself to just three stars. The idea itself was not bad at all, but I wasn't happy about the execution. The alternating groups of characters from individual stories kept fragmenting the plot for me, so I could never fully immerse myself in it. Throughout the whole time, I was all too aware that I was just watching moving pictures instead of being drawn into it. You get what I mean, right? Despite these remarks, I think the film is above-average as far as Czech films go (and average in terms of Svěrák's films). It not only provided me with a portion of quality humor but also with a pleasant atmosphere (typical for Zdeněk Svěrák). Zdeněk Svěrák is probably the only screenwriter who can make me laugh even with product placement. / Lesson learned: If you are a scout and are sent for the Bethlehem light, make sure to pack matches or a lighter. (2023.06.28)

Bethlehem Night is a truly remarkable and to some extent original piece of Czech comedy, but it left me with mixed feelings after the screening. On the one hand, I appreciate the theme and the script full of funny lines, but on the other, something didn't feel right at times while watching it. I was surprised by how many familiar faces appear (sometimes only for a while), but the whole film stands above all on the Zdeněk Svěrák-Daniela Kolářová duo, who once again succeeded in portraying a married couple, this time at a more advanced age. The rest of the cast was about as fleshed out and underdeveloped as their characters. I was also a bit bothered by the loud religious tones – I know what the film is called, but less is sometimes more. Bethlehem Night doesn't outright offend, nor does it bore, but it doesn't impress either – a subtle flame that had the potential to shine more. (2022.03.11)