Après l'hiver

Can we say that maverick Czech director Jan Sverak has lost his magical art of making wonderful films if his latest offering "Vratné Lahve" were to be considered as an ordinary film ? The answer would be in negative as he has made one of those mischievous films whose message might not instantly dawn on ordinary audiences but allows to appreciate character development which is perfectly in sync with general mood and rhythm of the film."Empties" presents an honest assessment of some very good views of Prague,a city which has changed enormously after the fall of communism and arrival of free market economy.This is not the sole reason for watching this film.One must watch "Empties" in order to understand that a man is young as long as his desire for beautiful young women is intact.In the past,this oft repeated message has been conveyed in numerous films but what makes Jan Sverak film appear as a face in the crowd is that fact that he has chosen to direct his father Zdenek Sverak to direct a film about joys and sorrow of old age of those Czech people who are currently feeling that repressed sexuality of communist times is getting rejuvenated in free market world of capitalism.