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Up and Down

Play trailer Poster for Up and Down R Released Sep 5, 2004 1h 48m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 65 Reviews 74% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Post-Soviet Prague is seen through parallel stories of Czechs who share the same city, and yet are worlds apart. Human traffickers ditch a foreign baby with a working-class couple, who so love their new child that the husband (Jirí Machácek) drops his racist soccer hooligan pals. Meanwhile, middle-class Martin (Petr Forman) returns home years after his now-ailing father wooed and won his girlfriend from him. Since then, the couple has raised a child, Martin's sister -- or maybe his daughter.
Up and Down

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Critics Consensus

A tragi-comic exploration of the universal search for stability in post-Communist Prague.

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Critics Reviews

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Marc Savlov Austin Chronicle Hrebejk's stylish direction and perfectly chosen cast make what might otherwise have been a depressing tale of post-perestroika working class woes into a melancholy, comedic riff on what it means to be European these days. Rated: 3/5 May 8, 2005 Full Review Ann Hornaday Washington Post For an engrossing, funny, sad, cautiously hopeful portrait of post-Soviet life in Eastern Europe, look no further than Up and Down. Apr 29, 2005 Full Review Richard Nilsen Arizona Republic The movie asks us to see these people as humans and to forgive them for being human and doing to each other what humans beings do to each other. It's a deeply humane film. Rated: 4/5 Apr 28, 2005 Full Review Amber Wilkinson Eye for Film An ambitious premise that only just falls short of genius. Rated: 4/5 Jun 14, 2008 Full Review Peter Calder New Zealand Herald This densely textured film by the writer-director team responsible for the sublime wartime drama Divided We Fall (2000) displays the same giddy blend of realist drama and bleak humour in the fine absurdist tradition. Rated: 5/5 Dec 30, 2006 Full Review Marta Barber Miami Herald When you understand its message, the film takes on a different level. Rated: 3/4 Apr 21, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Jan Hrebejk directed this cleverly sprawling comedy-drama about life in post-Communist Czech Republic. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member I really liked it...unlike anything I've seen before, but great characters and acting. Richy developed storyline...the ending doesn't resolve everything so I wouldn't recommend to those who liked tidy conclusions. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Frances H I really liked this movie, especially what it had to say about racism and the use of characters who were just ordinary people, not evil villains, to say it. The way the characters and their lives intertwined, the use of some funny comedy moments, and the understandable emotion between the characters made the film a series of very absorbing stories that continued to hold your interest. I particularly like the end credits, too, with their collection of wind-up toys. All-in-all, a very rewarding cinema experience. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/08/13 Full Review Audience Member A strange Czech film about race tolerance and especially about intolerance, about emigrants, imigrants... and life itself :) ... The best catch-phrase... about a baby of imigrants with dark skin: "On jet? vybledne..." ("He will still fade...") :))) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Beautifully done. The actors are wonderful. Czech women are beautiful at every age! Dekuji. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Foreign, Czech. Good movie. Funny in some parts and sad in others. Average story, but done in a very good way. All people tied by a common thread. I liked it. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Up and Down

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Cast & Crew

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Jan Hrebejk

Director

Petr Forman

Martin Horecký

Emilia Vásáryová

Vera Horecka

Natasa Burger

Miluska

Jan Tríska

Professor Otakar Horecký

Ingrid Timková

Hana Svobodová

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Movie Info

Synopsis Post-Soviet Prague is seen through parallel stories of Czechs who share the same city, and yet are worlds apart. Human traffickers ditch a foreign baby with a working-class couple, who so love their new child that the husband (Jirí Machácek) drops his racist soccer hooligan pals. Meanwhile, middle-class Martin (Petr Forman) returns home years after his now-ailing father wooed and won his girlfriend from him. Since then, the couple has raised a child, Martin's sister -- or maybe his daughter.
Director
Jan Hrebejk
Producer
Ondrej Trojan
Screenwriter
Jan Hrebejk, Petr Jarchovský
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co
Ceská Televize
Rating
R (Sexual Content|Language|Brief Violence)
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
Czech
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 5, 2004, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Feb 25, 2005
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 13, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$244.1K
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)