Buttoners (1997) User Reviews

one of the best ironic and comic scenes i have ever seen in a film

[pelfad · 7/10 · 16 January 2005]

This film was an introduction to Czech film for me whilst visiting Prague, last summer. And i have to say that I was impressed.

The best part of the film is the taxi driver, passenger and the passenger's wife...watch the film to fully understand but it was definitely one of the best "audience-knows-what is happening-but-characters -don't,scenes i have ever seen!

The film consisted of different story lines woven together, though it was hard to see the connection of some of them, especially the world-war II pilot. The cinematography and views of Prague were great and some of the small insights and details in some of the characters were universal, and therefore very recognisable. Definitely worth another viewing on DVD!

There are so many reasons to see this movie!

[marinelad · 9/10 · 6 August 2001]

It makes me angry when people describe this film as funny even I cannot avoid the fact that Petr Zelenka has unusual sense of humor. But he is a person that rarely laughs himself. He looks serious and distant like any other self-aware genius. I am much more delighted with his intelligence, his perfect feeling for details and his ability to entirely connect all little parts of this quite complicated story. He is not only a brilliant scenarist but also an extraordinary talented director who truly knows how to chose his actors. There are so many reasons to see this movie, not only once - so, if you have a chance, just grab it!

Like "Pulp Fiction"? This is far better.

[jzalman03 · 10/10 · 6 May 2004]

Nobody does film like the Czechs. While they're most known for the Czech New Wave of the 60's and 70's, a foreign film buff should not ignore their contemporary works. Zelenka's "The Buttoners" will convince you to further explore the dark humor, twisted logic, and tranquil fatalism characteristic of Czech film. While I realize anyone who has dug so deep into Czech films to come across this has probably seen these, I want to take my soapbox moment to recommend the following: Classics - "The Joke," "Closely Watched Trains," "Fireman's Ball," "Diamonds in the Night," "Larks on a String." (Please don't consider this an exclusive list--keep exploring) Contemporary - "Panel Story," "Kolya," (Best Foreign Oscar, 1996), Another one, whose name I can't remember, but it is called the Czech "Reality Bites." Anyway, get into Czech film. Always keep in mind their history over the last century. It definitely matters.

Good one

[Fimma · 9/10 · 29 November 2008]

Very good movie, while watching it I remember "Night on earth" and "Mistery train". its all movies the same class and quality. There is nothing to add about how well-done, meaningful and multidimensional Knoflikari is. As bonus we can see there as actor probably the most famous modern Prague sculptor, author of Black Babies on Žižkov Television Tower, St Vaclav on dead horse, 2 men pissing on Czech republic and others. I bought this DVD only for getting first impression about modern Czech cinema and I think it was one of the best possible choice. As for me, last segment about ghost of American pilot was a bit of childish and primitive in Hollywood happy-end style, but maybe it's what Czech guy means about black Czech humor?

The best Czech movie of the decade

[blitcz · 14 December 1999]

Zelenka's sense of humor will get you, in the end. Provided you speak Czech, of course. If you do, this is a must-see movie. Do not expect comedy, though; rather be prepared to re-think your opinion of black humor and to get some bizarre ideas of what pastime is. Some of their best acting by Eva Holubova, Rudolf Hrusinsky, Jiri Kodet or Borivoj Navratil.

Best film ever!

[Hypnos-5 · 10/10 · 6 March 2005]

This is the best Czechs film ever! It's seven stories which on the first side have nothing to do with each other but they are connected by small small details, and that's the magic in it. You discover throughout these seven stories how they are connected, and it's lovely! It is a film about people, how they feel, what they're like, and it's about ridiculous little things as well! It's about the daily life of common people, but they are presented as heroes. You have to pay attention to the small details and to the wording, the way sentences are being said to truly understand the whole film and not just one story. It's very funny as well! You have to see it!

human originality

[bir_sey · 10/10 · 13 February 2001]

Like one of the characters in the movie, Zelenka underlines human originality in his beautifully written, directed, acted, photographed and edited film. The film has a great sense of humor. Too bad it's not easy to find around -may be P.T. Anderson would have liked to see it; since he has a lot to learn from Zelenka on connecting various characters with each other, in a way that makes sense.

Weird, but fun.

[maaike · 19 October 1998]

This is one of the better films I've seen in a while. It takes you to a series of bizarre inhabitants of Prague exactly fifty years after the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. We get to see the man who cuts buttons of sofas with false teeth between his thighs, a man who spits at trains, the ghost of the pilot who dropped the bomb, and many more. At first the different stories don't seem to be connected, but gradually it all falls together.