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Charlatan

Play trailer 1:58 Poster for Charlatan Released Jul 23, 2021 1h 58m Drama History Play Trailer Watchlist
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89% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 36% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Few true stories tread the thin line between good and evil as precariously as that of Jan Mikolášek, a 20th century Czech herbal healer whose great success masked the grimmest of secrets. Mikolášek won fame and fortune treating celebrities of the interwar, Nazi, and Communist eras with his uncanny knack for "urinary diagnosis". But his passion for healing welled up form the same source as a lust for cruelty, sadism, and an incapacity for love that only one person could ever quell -- his assistant, František. As a show trial threatens to pry open these secrets and undo him, Jan's dichotomies are put to a final test, with the fate of his life's only love in the balance. A personal tale as replete with twists as the century itself, and a reflection on the price one pays for single-mindedly following one's calling.

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Charlatan

Charlatan

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Critics Consensus

Charlatan's slightly dry approach is offset by unique filmmaking flourishes and a fascinating story that make this an engaging, albeit unusual, biopic.

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Critics Reviews

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Michael Ordoña Los Angeles Times Holland... deftly moves the story through its present and past and elicits understated performances throughout the entire cast, all without excessive sentimentality. Jul 23, 2021 Full Review Lena Wilson New York Times Often as thorny as its subject but also oddly fascinated by his near-magical abilities, "Charlatan" is a temporary cure for the common biopic. Jul 22, 2021 Full Review William Repass Slant Magazine Throughout the film, Agnieszka Holland makes clear that she isn't interested in easily digestible pop-psychology nuggets. Rated: 3/4 Jul 18, 2021 Full Review Erick Estrada Cinegarage A sea of contradictions... a refreshing portrait of a man with all his contradictions. [Full review in Spanish] Jun 8, 2022 Full Review Gisela Savdie El Heraldo His conflicting behavior turns us into enemies and supporters at the same time [Full review in Spanish] Oct 31, 2021 Full Review Antonio Trashorras Fotogramas Sober, lucid, well intoned and inevitably a bit cold. [Full Review in Spanish] Rated: 4/5 Oct 18, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (2) audience reviews
Bradley J What an interesting movie. The acting was great, the storyline was very unusual and well done, and the scenery at times was beautiful and other times very grey. What an unusual love story in a challenging time. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 12/31/22 Full Review Emiliano M Great interprations and scenography! However, the underlying real story has been stretched so far that the movie appears just an excuse to attract additional audiance from the LGBTQI+ community and those sharing anti-communist feelings. The real story was enough when I take into consideration the high quality standards involved in this production. Disappointing. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/06/22 Full Review Read all reviews
Charlatan

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Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis Few true stories tread the thin line between good and evil as precariously as that of Jan Mikolášek, a 20th century Czech herbal healer whose great success masked the grimmest of secrets. Mikolášek won fame and fortune treating celebrities of the interwar, Nazi, and Communist eras with his uncanny knack for "urinary diagnosis". But his passion for healing welled up form the same source as a lust for cruelty, sadism, and an incapacity for love that only one person could ever quell -- his assistant, František. As a show trial threatens to pry open these secrets and undo him, Jan's dichotomies are put to a final test, with the fate of his life's only love in the balance. A personal tale as replete with twists as the century itself, and a reflection on the price one pays for single-mindedly following one's calling.
Director
Agnieszka Holland
Producer
Kevan Van Thompson, Sarka Cimbalova
Screenwriter
Marek Epstein
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Genre
Drama, History
Original Language
Czech
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 23, 2021, Limited
Runtime
1h 58m
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