Cold War
Composite Score: 86.2
Starring: Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot, Borys Szyc, Agata Kulesza, Cédric Kahn, Jeanne Balibar, Adam Woronowicz, and Adam Ferency
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
Writers: Pawel Pawlikowski and Janusz Glowacki
Genres: Drama, Music, Romance
MPAA Rating: R for some sexual content, nudity, and language
Box Office: $20.35 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Cold War is Pawel Pawlikowski’s historical romantic drama about a music director who falls in love with one of his singers and their love affair across the 1940s, 50s, and 60s in Europe, loosely based on the lives of Pawlikowski’s parents. It stars Joanna Kulig and Tomasz Kot in the leading roles of Zula and Wiktor, following them from Poland to Paris to Yugoslavia back to Paris and eventually back to Poland. The film received Oscar nominations for Best Cinematography, Best International Feature, and Best Director. It has been repeatedly celebrated for its stunning black and white cinematography, emotionally impactful story, and unique take on the historical drama.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
Cold War clips along at a very fast pace, stuffing as much substance into its brief runtime as it possibly can, which means that audiences who aren’t paying attention or who struggle to make inferences based on the context clues given by dialogue and images will probably find themselves frustratedly lost by the film’s plethora of time and location jumps because the gaps aren’t all neatly filled in for them. Otherwise, Cold War offers a really engaging romantic drama that you probably should watch, just make certain that you’re ready to fully engage with it before you turn it on.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
I’m not really sure how many ways there are to say that Cold War is one of the best romantic dramas ever made, so I’m not going to waste words saying what’s already been said. What I will add is that it works so well thanks in large part to its writing, which keeps the film moving at a quick pace, never losing the audience in subplots or question marks, but simply moving on to the next sequence because that’s where the relationship is going. It’s also aided by the performances of the two leads whose electric chemistry is palpable in every scene, as their reactions to seeing each other, before even having any other interaction, lets you know exactly how in love these two people are. Kulig plays her young ingénue with a perfect balance of confidence and hesitancy, feeling every bit the star that she knows she is while remaining a vulnerable human who deserves love and decency and a good life. Likewise, Kot’s portrayal of Wiktor feels like some combination of the starving artist and the sexy “other man” wrapped up in the desperately out of his league boyfriend, giving us a convincing romantic lead who somehow never feels as unrelatable as he should, given how talented, good looking, and lucky he is in his life’s endeavors. Together, they make a couple worth rooting for if only because their love for one another is undeniable and for them to end up alone or with anyone else would feel unforgivable.
Pawel Pawlikowski has given us a truly enthralling romance in Cold War; bolstered by the performances of his two leads, it offers audiences a love worth rooting for in the face of the storms of life and the hardships of the Cold War in Europe, earning the film a much-deserved spot among the greats. The speed of the script and plethora of time jumps might be daunting on a first watch, but if you can get yourself into that mindset or just give it a second watch, you’re sure to find a film that’ll stay in your repertoire for quite some time. Currently, this film can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video if you’d like to check it out any time soon.
