The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a political movie, a philosophical movie, a love story and an intensely erotic movie. And it can be all those things and more, as this directors cut version of the 1988 classic is almost three hours long. But it is not a minute too long, something I can say for few movies.
The movie is set in Czechoslovakia in the late 60's. The country is moving away from its socialist government and people are looking for freedom and democracy. In this setting a womanizing doctor enjoys a life of wine, many women, and song. Played by Daniel Day-Lewis in one of his first major roles, he comes across, not as arrogant, but more as living life on his terms.
His favorite women, for sex and fun is Sabine, played as an erotic seductress, also living on her own terms, by Lena Olin. And wow! She is just breath-taking.
But the doctor meets another girl, and loving her innocence, he marries her. Juliet Binoche plays this waif, this innocent and fragile young woman, that comes between Thomas and Sabine. Well, those two actually still sleep together, but not with quite as much abandon as before.
But harshly cutting into this idyllic orgy, is the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia. the Soviet Union will not accept one of their countries to throw off Soviet rule, and so invades and takes over the country, curtailing freedoms of all kinds.
The movie deals with the options one has in a totalitarian regime. How does one live and keep honor and ideals. It still deals with eroticism, and the scene with Binoche and Olin is one of the most erotic and intense scenes in film. I could watch it again and again (I think I will in fact).
It is an amazing movie, with a range and a depth that is less than usual in films. And that these three young actors had this as one of their first major international films, and did so spectacularly is also amazing. The three were all Oscar caliber.
And did I mention Lena Olin is wow? She is!
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