Walking Too Fast

Setin1982Czechoslovakia,RadimSpacek's&quot;WalkingTooFast&quot;isaslow-burnpoliticalthrilleraboutasecretpolicelieutenantbuckingthesystem.Comparisonsto&quot;TheLivesofOthers&quot;areapt,althoughWalkingsthoroughlyunsympatheticprotagonistmakesthefilmmoreadmirablethanlikable.PicalsomakesanexcellentcompanionpiecetoJanHrebejks&quot;Kawasaki'sRose,&quot;thisyear'sCzechsubmissionfortheforeign-languagefilmOscar,showinganotherfacetofthecountry'scollaborationistpastundercommunism.February'sdomesticreleasereapedfewerthan17,000viewers,signalingfestsandancillaryasthebestbetforfurtherviewing.<br/>　　In1982,thetotalitarianregimeseemsinterminableandall-powerful.Short,ferret-likeAntonin(OndrejMaly),whoepitomizesthesenselessbrutalityoftheregime,isregardedasoneofthetopmeninthestatesecuritybureau.<br/>　　ButAntoninnolongerfindssatisfactionfrommentallytormentinghisnetworkofinformersorroughingupsuspectedsubversives.Heseetheswithrepressedangerandboredom,frequentlyworkinghimselfintoastatewherehecanbarelybreathe.<br/>　　WhenAntoninbecomesobsessedwithpretty,self-possessedKlara(KristinaFarkasova),themistressofamarrieddissident(MartinFinger),herebelsagainsttherulesofhisorganization.However,hisdecisionisn'trootedinfeelingsofconscienceorcompassion;rather,itcomesasasavageactofnihilism.<br/>　　TheCzechtitle,&quot;Pouta,&quot;literallytranslatesas&quot;tiesthatbind,&quot;andtheambitiousscriptbyfirst-timerOndrejStindlplaysontheword'smultiplemeanings(from&quot;handcuffs&quot;to&quot;relationships&quot;)throughoutthefilm.Althoughnuancedinmanyways,thestoryremainsuncompromisinglydark,providingfewemotionalhooksforaudienceidentification.ThecoollyobjectivehelmingbySpacek&quot;RapidEyeMovement&quot;,favoringlongandmedium-focusshots,alsodistancesviewersfromthecharacters.<br/>　　Leadingacastoflittle-knownthesps,Malyoffersatour-de-forceperfasthetightlywoundmanwhorespectsnothingandnolongergivesadamn;thesceneinwhichhemakesthiscleartohislong-sufferingwifeispositivelychilling.<br/>　　AlsoofnoteisLukasLatinakasAntonin'sjovial,double-dealingSlovakcolleagueandLubosVeselyasanintellectualforcedtoplayinformant.<br/>　　Craftpackagestressestheconformityandbleaknessoftheerawithcolor-desaturatedlensingandbrown-tonedproductiondesign.Standoutcameraworkfromvetd.p.JaromirKacersimulatesthefeelingofbeingwatched,whilethewell-usedelectronicascorefromindiemusicianTomasVtipilevokesanunsettlingmood.