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      Kafka

      PG-13 Released Nov 15, 1991 1 hr. 38 min. Mystery & Thriller List
      52% 23 Reviews Tomatometer 72% 2,500+ Ratings Audience Score An insurance clerk (Jeremy Irons) must enter a sinister castle to solve a mystery in circa-1919 Prague. Read More Read Less

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      Critics Consensus

      Kafka does not rise to the artistic success of its subject, struggling to approximate the nightmarish absurdity that defined the author's work despite thoughtful direction by Steven Soderbergh and a gorgeous black and white color palette.

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      Audience Reviews

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      Steve D The weird narrative works for the material but not for me. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Style was there substance not so much 2.7 Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/21 Full Review johann m A mystery thriller where Franz Kafka's novels come to life from the author's point of view as a character and strange events lead him to discover a mysterious and dangerous underground organisation in Prague with dark purposes. The oppresive Kafkaesque atmosphere reminiscent of his work can be noted here with some bizarre and illogical scenes intended to confuse the audience. The combination of Kafka's life with the plots of The Castle and The Trial actually works quite well, despite the slow pace. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member There seems to be two overall two side groups for this movie. Those who appreciate its stylistic touches but consider it sort of empty or inconsiderate, and those who find this movie an underrated gem. While I understand the former side, my thoughts are aiming more towards the latter. I appreciate how its ostensibly a biopic of Franz Kafka (who is never addressed as Franz) and combines aspects of his life with some of his own works like The Trial. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member cinegeek.de Our Daily Free Stream: Steven Soderbergh - Kafka. Auch weiterhin kein neuer Soderbergh in Aussicht... Wie lange mag dieses Versprechen halten? - Wer erinnert sich noch an die tolle Entstehungsgeschichte von Steven Soderberghs Debüt? Wie er das Drehbuch in acht Tagen schrieb als er nach Hollywood fuhr? Wie er die Schauspieler gegen Rückstellung spielen liess und schliesslich alles "independent" finanzierte. Indie, das war damals noch ein Abenteuer und keine Marke! Schliesslich gewann Soderbergh überraschend Cannes und darf seitdem als "Godfather" des Indie Kinos gelten. Kafka war sein zweiter Film und spielt wie bereits sein Debüt vor allem in Innenräumen. Die sehen aus wie der wahrgewordene Albtraum eines Set-Designers - oder wie Kafkas Prag. Kafka wurde in Schwarzweiss gedreht, springt aber manchmal um und erscheint dann farbig wie ein billiger Science Fiction Film. Hauptrolle: Jeremy Irons, der Mann mit dem ewig leidenden Gesichtsausdruck. So ausgemerkgelt und bleich wie Irons stelle ich mir auch den Dichter Kafka vor. Er bewohnt seine eigene fiktionale Welt. Kafka lebt in Kafkas literarischem Szenrario (wobei Soderbergh aber auch andere filmische Quellen anzapft). Kafka schreibt Kurzgeschichten, so wie die über einen Mann und seine Transformation in eine Kakerlake. Sein Vertrauter heisst Eduard. Die Geliebte Eduards ist Gabriela (Theresa Russell), für Kafka aber stellt Leidenschaft eine Fremdsprache dar. Natürlich. Ich denke, dass Vorhaben, Kafka filmisch umzusetzen, dürfte eines der schwierigsten sein. Handeln seine Geschichten doch von selbstbezogenen Einsiedlern. Wie verfilmt man aber das Innere des Menschen? Die Kafka Verfilmungen, die ich zuvor sah, vermochten dieses Problem nicht zu lösen. Soderbergh versuchts zu umgehen, denn sein Film handelt doch eher von Kafkas Romanfiguren als dem Autoren selbst. Für mich gehört Kafka in den Bereich existentialistischer Träumereien, bei Soderbergh aber kommt er wie ein verrückter Forscher daher. Warum hat Soderbergh sich da rangewagt? Vermutlich ist er Kafka Bewunderer und versuchte sich daher an diesem filmischen Labyrinth. Einer aber passt nicht in diese Welt: Kafka selbst. Soderbergh beweist sich als guter Regisseur, doch der Stoff mag ungeschickt gewählt sein. Dann doch lieber wieder eine achttägige Tour bei der am Ende ein Drehbuch steht. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Probably one of the worst movies I have ever paid to see in a theatre (on a date). This film was disjointed with an overall horrible script. The acting is horrible despite a stellar cast. The viewer is not vested whatsoever. What's worse is there is no relation to Kafka, other than the style is Kafka-esque. No wonder this was the first of a series of Soderbergh bombs. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

      View All (23) Critics Reviews
      David Ansen Newsweek Soderbergh's talent is not in doubt; you can see, in the often elegant images shot by Walt Lloyd, a real filmmaker at work. But his choice of material is dubious. Feb 6, 2018 Full Review Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Rated: D+ Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Vincent Canby New York Times Steven Soderbergh's Kafka is a very bad well-directed movie. Rated: 1.5/5 May 20, 2003 Full Review Jas Keimig The Stranger (Seattle, WA) It's surreal and paranoid, but a mostly underwhelming and tonally confusing watch. Jan 20, 2022 Full Review Quentin Curtis Independent on Sunday There are shafts of insight, and the photography's elegantly expressionist. But Irons, sturdily English despite a fitting heaviness of the spirit, is hopelessly miscast as the iconic, neurasthenic writer. Dec 12, 2017 Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Rated: 3/5 Nov 20, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis An insurance clerk (Jeremy Irons) must enter a sinister castle to solve a mystery in circa-1919 Prague.
      Director
      Steven Soderbergh
      Executive Producer
      Mark Johnson, Barry Levinson, Paul Rassam
      Screenwriter
      Lem Dobbs
      Distributor
      Miramax Films
      Production Co
      Baltimore Pictures
      Rating
      PG-13
      Genre
      Mystery & Thriller
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Nov 15, 1991, Original
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $57.6K
      Sound Mix
      Surround, Stereo
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