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Kolya

Play trailer Poster for Kolya PG-13 1996 1h 45m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
As the Cold War winds down, former concert cellist Louka (Zdenek Sverák) barely makes ends meet providing accompaniment at funerals after being blacklisted from his much cushier job with the Prague Philharmonic. For a fee, he marries a Russian woman (Libuse Safránková) so she can become a Czech citizen, but she immediately emigrates to West Germany, sticking the bachelor with her sickly 5-year-old Kolya (Andrej Chalimon) and a host of official questions about the sham marriage.

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Kolya

Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 01/01/2000
3.5/4
It is a work of love, beautifully photographed by Vladimir Smutny in rich deep reds and browns, with steam rising from soup and the little boy looking wistfully at the pigeons on the other side of the tower window. Go to Full Review
Mike Clark USA Today 01/01/2000
3/4
As an Oscar nominee, Kolya lacks the cinematic dazzle of France's Ridicule. But no one can claim that its emotional clout isn't earned. Go to Full Review
Mal Vincent The Virginian-Pilot 02/25/2022
3.5/4
Koyla is uplifting despite its familiar plot... Go to Full Review
Carrie R. Wheadon Common Sense Media 07/25/2012
4/5
Adorable kid transforms womanizer in poignant Oscar winner. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 06/14/2005
4/5
Dragan Antulov rec.arts.movies.reviews 03/15/2004
8/10
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Audience Reviews

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Tom M Sep 9 Typical Hollywood. Confirmed bachelor finds true love in the shape of a child who makes him care. About the world, about himself, about family. This was not made in Hollywood but the Oscars recognises one of their own. Misogynist piffle! See more Nicola B Feb 6 Beautifully filmed and heartwarming. See more dave s 04/14/2022 When a 55-year-old Czech playboy agrees to a sham marriage for financial gain, he ultimately finds himself to be the sole guardian of a 5-year-old when his new wife suddenly leaves the country. Kolya manages to be sweet without being saccharin, an accomplishment for a film that has all of the trappings of a manipulative tearjerker. Director Jan Sverak relies more on images than excessive dialogue to show the developing relationship between the two primary characters. The movie features a beautiful score and some nice, softly lit cinematography, as well as solid performances from Zdenek Sverak as the stepfather and Andrej Chalimon as the wide-eyed Kolya. Is the whole thing predictable? Of course, but sometimes it's nice to know where you're going. See more ikiru y 08/13/2020 It has a certain visual charm, but I'm surprised it got as many accolades as it did. It doesn't hold up well. Old bachelor learns to care for a young child...an old yarn you've seen before with no real surprises. Meh. Pass. See more 02/24/2017 Well made but excruciating to watch See more 06/15/2016 The Foreign Film Oscar winner from the Czech may not have a lot of originality, but possesses hefty emotional clout in its telling of the kindness of strangers and transformation caused by parenthood. See more Read all reviews
Kolya

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Movie Info

Synopsis As the Cold War winds down, former concert cellist Louka (Zdenek Sverák) barely makes ends meet providing accompaniment at funerals after being blacklisted from his much cushier job with the Prague Philharmonic. For a fee, he marries a Russian woman (Libuse Safránková) so she can become a Czech citizen, but she immediately emigrates to West Germany, sticking the bachelor with her sickly 5-year-old Kolya (Andrej Chalimon) and a host of official questions about the sham marriage.
Director
Jan Sverák
Producer
Eric Abraham, Jan Sverák
Screenwriter
Zdenek Sverák
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Miramax
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
Czech
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 24, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.8M
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SR
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