Our hero is 25-year-old Štěpán – a nice enough guy but a bit of a waster who doesn’t have a clue what to do with himself. At the call centre where he works, he is jolted out of his lethargy when he takes a call from the mysterious and seemingly level-headed Marie. This playful flick revolves around young protagonists full of insecurities who are struggling to break out of the crushing stereotypical mould. And although Štěpán might not know exactly which path to take in life, the mere decision to put one foot in front of the other indicates a certain degree of progress. In its chosen stylisation the film opts for bizarre condensation and, in places, ventures into absurd poetics; even so, it reveals great understanding for its characters’ faltering moves.
Direction
Pavlíček's bizarre condensation makes mundanity feel theatrical.
Writing
Dialogue that captures the specific humiliation of aimlessness.
Director
Tomáš Pavlíček
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Part of a wave of early-2010s Czech cinema exploring post-communist generational drift, where traditional paths collapsed and millennials floated.
The call centre setting isn't just workplace realism — it's a metaphor for transactional intimacy, where Štěpán finally receives instead of giving empty words.
CZ
