A glass half empty

Empties- A Film by Jan Sverak.

Aging Josef Tkaloun (played by Zdenek Sverák) is a jaded middle aged man living with his discontented wife and struggling to find himself after he leaves his teaching job. Uninterested with his new found freedom he takes a job as a clerk responsible for storing empty glass bottles. Whilst there he finds (and shows us) that it is never too late to start to live again. This stunning success from the father-son Sverák team is a tender low-key story that despite the subtitles will appeal to a wide ranging audience.

‘Empties’ makes a very clear statement in that its main focus is the search for love, profound undying and desperately romantic. However, there is also a more subtle sub-text exploring the impact of freedom and capitalism on the people living in the Czech Republic . With the loss of love and joy for life the older generations within a small tight-knit community like the Czech Republic are portrayed in ‘Empties’ as struggling to cope with their cultural changes.

‘Empties’ is on the whole, an absolute delight. The humour is charming and at times downright hilarious. Mixed gags from sheer Charlie Chaplin slapstick to witty Woody Allen one liners ensure that even the language barrier poses no threat to the comedy of the piece.

However, despite the sugary sweet comedy there is a sense of underlying dread in ‘Empties’. Subtle mentions of machine replacing man seem to suggest a tragic end to this relentless search for humanity. The sadness surrounding Tkaloun’s desperate attempts to hold onto his mortality also seem to be inevitably setting the audience up for a heart-breaking end. However as perhaps the only weak moment in the film, the end is neither happy nor sad. As the credit rolls you are left feeling, well a little…empty.

Overall, ‘Empties’ is both amusing and moving in equal amounts. It is also ultimately believable, as the dialog between the characters is similar to our very own day to day dialogues between our loved ones. A gorgeous, funny and touching story lovingly crafted by a Father-Son team. Despite a mildly disappointing end ‘Empties’ is still a film that has the power to keep you laughing from beginning to end.

Angela Nicol, March 2009.