Rent The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988)
3.3 of 5 from 178 ratings
2h 46min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Let others in 1968 Prague fret over such things as a liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Prague surgeon and avowed womanizer Tomas is focused on the happiness of pursuit. He's determined to live with a lightness of being that's unfettered by things like commitment and Communism. A young doctor's quest for sex and his stumbling into love forms part of the rich storyline of this lyrical film from the landmark Milan Kundera novel, produced by Saul Zaentz and directed by Philip Kaufman. Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche and Lena Olin indelibly form the romantic triangle at the center of Tomas' world. It's a shifting world of hope spoiled and renewed, of lives blighted by oppression and reinvigorated by deep, maturing love. - Actors:
- Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin, Derek de Lint, Erland Josephson, Pavel Landovský, Donald Moffat, Daniel Olbrychski, Stellan Skarsgård, Tomasz Borkowy, Bruce Myers, Pavel Slabý, Pascale Kalensky, Jacques Ciron, Anne Lonnberg, László Szabó, Vladimír Valenta, Clovis Cornillac, Leon Lissek, Consuelo De Haviland
- Directors:
- Philip Kaufman
- Writers:
- Milan Kundera, Jean-Claude Carrière
- Others:
- Sven Nykvist
- Studio:
- Warner
- Genres:
- Drama
- Collections:
- 21 Reasons to Love... Ingmar Bergman, Cinema Paradiso's 2022 Centenary Club, Cinema Paradiso's 2023 Centenary Club: Part 1, The Instant Expert's Guide to: Miloš Forman, Top 100 AFI Passions
- Awards:
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Reviews (2) of The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Hidden meanings - The Unbearable Lightness of Being review by HM
Two 1960's Prague City people, he a surgeon and she an artist, have a libertarian attitude to life and enjoy an unconditional sexual relationship. Isn't life fun, free and above day to day problems? They both meet people who take a more traditional 'let's get married' attitude to life. Can the sexual relationship survive in the margins of the conventional? The Prague Spring erupts on the streets and the Russians crush it. The two libertarians become 'none people'; can they somehow recreate their freedom to feel good about life regardless of adversity and circumstances now beyond their control; see how it develops. A movie to make you think or just accept it as a romantic adventure, up to you.
Personally I was gripped by the subject matter and felt I understood the underlying philosophical issue. Or maybe I was trying to be too clever for my own good?
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Excellent portrayal of the book. - The Unbearable Lightness of Being review by DW
Recently watched the DVD of The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Read the book about 2 years ago, but had forgotten a lot of the plot. The film brought it all back and I thought it was a faithful rendition.
Rather a lot of sex scenes but somehow there was an element of the ridiculous which left us laughing out loud. I was unaware how old the film was - mid 80s - but Juliette Binoche looks about 17 (which she wasn't) and D D Lewis about 30 (which he was).
There were lots of scenes relating to the 1968 soviet invasion which ended the Prague Spring, some of which looked like genuine news footage. Brought back a lot of memories of that time.
A special source of joy was the music. For me so many recent films seem to be ruined by intrusive music, but in this one the music was sparse and all, or almost all pieces from Janacek’s piano pieces On an Overgrown Path and his two string quartets which were perfect choices, I thought.
Highly recommended.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.