Read Positive User Reviews for Ida

9

MarcDoyleMay 3, 2014

A pretty amazing little movie. Peeling the layers of the story back is done in an elegant, quiet way. The actress playing Ida is fantastic, but the woman playing her Aunt is the real showstopper here. So much complexity in such a relativelyA pretty amazing little movie. Peeling the layers of the story back is done in an elegant, quiet way. The actress playing Ida is fantastic, but the woman playing her Aunt is the real showstopper here. So much complexity in such a relatively short film. Well worth seeing.… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

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10

GinaKJun 15, 2014

A splendid film about subjects done a million times before – coming of age (but this time it’s a young Catholic novice) and the Jewish tragedy of WW2 and its consequences, but in Poland. Done in black and white (yes, with subtitles), eachA splendid film about subjects done a million times before – coming of age (but this time it’s a young Catholic novice) and the Jewish tragedy of WW2 and its consequences, but in Poland. Done in black and white (yes, with subtitles), each shot was beautifully framed (I kept thinking of early Polanski), the actresses were riveting, and the audience dead silent and totally engaged. This is a deeply emotional gem with a profound sense of existential mystery.… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

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9

indiegalaxy10May 2, 2014

This powerful film speaks for itself, it's riveting , dark and beautiful; sometimes emotional and artistic. In abstract way represent the real life with loneliness in a gorgeous woman haunted by her past.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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9

LowbrowCinemaJun 1, 2014

It's so rare that a work of art whether film or dance or theater or visual art can live up to the superlative reviews and the gushing from critics, but IDA is such a work. A relatively short film of only 80 minutes that captures the nearIt's so rare that a work of art whether film or dance or theater or visual art can live up to the superlative reviews and the gushing from critics, but IDA is such a work. A relatively short film of only 80 minutes that captures the near past, present and future of Europe in what amounts to a road movie with only two characters. IDA shatters all expectations by making the personal truly political. In every way director Pawel Pawlikowski, in his first native language film, captures who we are and where we are going in a story that takes place in only a matter of days. This is art of the highest order that requires time and processing but so well worth the adventure.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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10

ScribeHardJun 23, 2014

The brilliance of Ida exists within its understated elegance, which both belies its weighty subject matter and showcases it, layering themes of contrast and burden throughout the film to great effect.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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10

jeremypJul 1, 2014

A rare gem of a film that shows you the surface and allows you to plumb the depths in your own mind. A novitiate is told to visit her (previously unknown) Aunt by her Mother Superior. Reluctant, but obedient she visits the woman and findsA rare gem of a film that shows you the surface and allows you to plumb the depths in your own mind. A novitiate is told to visit her (previously unknown) Aunt by her Mother Superior. Reluctant, but obedient she visits the woman and finds her world over turned. Abandoned as a child to a Catholic Orphanage she has her unknown history revealed, born Jewish to a family killed by the local Poles, and all it's property stolen. We see little of what she thinks of all of this revelation, the film focuses mainly on the Aunt's transparent rage , grief, and guilt. The choices Ida makes next are not what many viewer's might wish, but the Director rules.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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10

VinceMJun 19, 2014

This is a classic art film worth every minute of it's viewing. Everything seems to fit so perfectly, including the black and white filming which embellishes the themes of loneliness, deep secrets, loss and the meaning of life. Ida's staresThis is a classic art film worth every minute of it's viewing. Everything seems to fit so perfectly, including the black and white filming which embellishes the themes of loneliness, deep secrets, loss and the meaning of life. Ida's stares are so emotional and expressive as she discovers so much of the world and her past for the very first time. Her few words are often unnecessary. Her Aunt is a study in extremes - her cold, controlling manner often shifts into passion and impulsivity. To pick up the nuances and details of the making of this fine film, see it again!… Expand

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9

mexicandogMay 4, 2014

great film - it's simple yet powerful, classic yet modern, little yet expansive. deals with important issues of religion, holocaust, relationship and choices in life. Although the decision of the main character was not exercised enough, "Ida"great film - it's simple yet powerful, classic yet modern, little yet expansive. deals with important issues of religion, holocaust, relationship and choices in life. Although the decision of the main character was not exercised enough, "Ida" felt too short.… Expand

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10

sebastianglzNov 18, 2014

Is just amazing what Pawlikowski did with this simple story. The performances are amazing, and the fact that is shooted in black & white gives this movie something amazing. Poland's entry for the Academy Awards is worth.

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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9

netflicMay 9, 2014

Polish with subtitles.
Poland, 1960.
A young nun is about to take her wows when she is told to meet her Aunt Wanda for the first time in her life. That aunt is her only living relative. When Ida meets her aunt she discovers many thingsPolish with subtitles.
Poland, 1960.
A young nun is about to take her wows when she is told to meet her Aunt Wanda for the first time in her life. That aunt is her only living relative. When Ida meets her aunt she discovers many things about herself and her family that she did not know.
The movie is artsy, it is shot in black and white, and that is done superbly. It depicts darkest moments of the last century.
Not every detail is spelled there, there is a lot left for one's imagination. In short, I would describe the film as classy and powerful.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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9

benuttyDec 2, 2014

The most interesting photography I've ever seen on film--every frame could be analyzed as a work of art. Aside from that, it's astounding how complex and fresh such a simple story told during an often-depicted point in history feels.

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9

CitizenaustinDec 3, 2014

"Ida" is a beautifully shot, perfectly acted and simply scripted Polish drama about a young nun who discovered drom her debaucherous aunt that she is Jewish and her parents died under mysterious circumstances. I would say this movie defiantly"Ida" is a beautifully shot, perfectly acted and simply scripted Polish drama about a young nun who discovered drom her debaucherous aunt that she is Jewish and her parents died under mysterious circumstances. I would say this movie defiantly has a guaranteed oscar nomination with Best Foreign Film but I would support its nomination for Best Cinemantography and Best Director. The mood and editing style of this film perfectly resemble the characters emotions and the society of post-war Europe. However, in the middleit runs a bit slow. It is very clever and one of the best films I've seen this year. 9/10.… Expand

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8

LynOct 26, 2014

The director of "Ida" says with a modest amount of glee -- in one of the "extras" -- that he knows some of his decisions will leave his audience a little frustrated. That is true! The interaction between the young, soon-to-be nun and herThe director of "Ida" says with a modest amount of glee -- in one of the "extras" -- that he knows some of his decisions will leave his audience a little frustrated. That is true! The interaction between the young, soon-to-be nun and her world-weary, alcoholic chain-smoking aunt is fascinating. As with everything else, it unfolds slowly and quietly. But the women, together and separately, raise questions for which you may not find answers. It's interesting that the director also said he did NOT mean for the characters to be historical/political symbols. The stark B&W backdrops and the expressions on their faces tell you all that he wanted to say; you're left with your own thoughts about what happened next.… Expand

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7

lasttimeisawAug 29, 2014

With its technical specs like 1.33:1 aspect ratio and posh Black & White cinematography, Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski's fifth feature film IDA, gains an instant art house recognition albeit its pithy 82-minute running time.

continueWith its technical specs like 1.33:1 aspect ratio and posh Black & White cinematography, Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski's fifth feature film IDA, gains an instant art house recognition albeit its pithy 82-minute running time.

continue reading my review on my blog: google cinema omnivore, thanks… Expand

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8

jgzegerJan 19, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This would just be a better than average film without the ending, which gives the entire movie meaning. If you think I might be giving too much away here, stop reading, but I saw the message of the movie being very Buddhist as in all life is suffering and the only acceptable response is to withdraw from life altogether. I'm not saying I agree with the philosophy, but only that's what the movie is saying.… Expand

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8

SpangleDec 12, 2015

Technically brilliant, Ida is truly a picture in motion and that image is absolutely gorgeous. Throughout, it is wonderfully beautiful and moving with great performances, brilliant writing, inspired direction, and fantastic cinematography. ITechnically brilliant, Ida is truly a picture in motion and that image is absolutely gorgeous. Throughout, it is wonderfully beautiful and moving with great performances, brilliant writing, inspired direction, and fantastic cinematography. I cannot say I have ever seen a Polish film, but this is certainly one of the better foreign films I have seen and I am elated it got the level of praise it did. Truly, this film feels important and brilliant. However, what does hold this one back is it feels distant. While interesting and compelling, it is never quite as engaging as one would typically ask of a film. Truly a marvelous art piece of a film, Ida is in many ways a great post-war film, a great religious film, and a brilliant tragedy. However, what it truly is a great rendition of: it is a great journey for self. Ida is about a girl who is out to discover who she is and her family's history and this film does a great job telling this tale. A brilliant work from Poland, Ida may not be as engaging as some would like, but it is undeniably fantastic filmmaking.… Expand

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9

manofthemoonFeb 10, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of Polish cinema's most engaging recent outings, "Ida" is the beautifully shot, slow burning story of a young nun about to take her vows, but seeking one final engagement with the outside world, finding both answers to the murders of her parents and the realisation that the world beyond the convent offers her little future. Well played and maid, "Ida" is a must for fans of Polish cinema.… Expand

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10

alwayswatchingJan 4, 2015

Ida is the story of a young girl living in a convent who is about to take her vows to become a nun. But she needs to visit her only relative, her aunt, before devoting herself to life-long chastity and poverty. When she goes to visit herIda is the story of a young girl living in a convent who is about to take her vows to become a nun. But she needs to visit her only relative, her aunt, before devoting herself to life-long chastity and poverty. When she goes to visit her aunt, she realizes that her childhood story is much deeper and elaborate than what she has been told. Her one day visit to her aunt soon turns into a long journey to discover her past and to reconcile with it. Ida's mom is not alive anymore but Ida resembles her in appearance and acts, which makes Ida's aunt takes Ida's love into her heart immediately.

In one scene they are looking at old family pictures. Her aunt is telling her that her Mom once made a fancy stained glass for the cows to make them happy. Next day when they go see the glass, she adds, “That's Roza, fancy stained glass next to cow **** That is in essence Ida's life (or at least how her aunt sees it). Ida is a precious marvel surrounded in a terrible world. Her heart is strong and big but preoccupy with religious dogmas that does not let her enjoy her life.

Ida never been anywhere, but she knows more than everybody else about life. Her aunt is “tenacious” but Ida is the one who handles difficult situations and makes the tough decisions. Ida looks naive but she talks, decides and acts wisely and firmly. You may or may not agree with her (I totally disagree with her) nonetheless you cannot help but to approve her decisions. She does not talk much but when she does, she hunts you. One of the key dialogues in the movie is this one:

Boy: Ever been to the seaside?
Ida: I haven't been anywhere.
Boy: Come along then... You'll listen to us play, we will walk on the beach.
Ida: And then?
Boy: Then we will buy a dog, get married, have children, get a house.
Ida: And then?
Boy: [long silence]

She shakes your core values with her simple short questions (E.g. “And then?”). It seems she does not know anything about life–she is a nun after all who grow up in an isolated convent in a village and hasn't been anywhere else–but unlike everyone else, she knows what she wants to do with her life. Everyone else is just part of a herd following the shepherd blindly. She is the “fancy glass”, everyone else is the “cow ****”.

Everyone in this movie is depicted as a human, no more, no less. They all have strengths and they all crumble from time to time. Even the darkest characters in the movie still have a white spot left on their slate. Ida's aunt is a well-known “tenacious” prosecutor but sometimes she is clueless and desperate. The farmer's son is devoid of emotions and empathy but he shows mercy to Ida. Ida is a nun but she seeks carnal pleasure.

Director Pawel Pawlikowski does something in 82 minutes that others directors need 3 hours to do. His camera does not move much except in the last scene because in this scene Ida is the center of the universe, she is the one that is carrying the world. She is walking on a road, the camera is facing her. It does not show where she is going because Ida is confident about what is going to happen next, it vaguely shows where she has been. She does not turn to look back because for Ida the past belongs to the past.

The cinematography in this movie is exceptional. Every single frame in the movie is shot so artfully that it has the potential to feature on a magazine cover. All the shots from the character faces, all the catch lights in their eyes, the composition and the light vindicate to a cinematographer with absolute mastery. One of my favorites scenes in the movies is a shot a of a man digging a grave. The lights, the shadows, the dirt texture, and his facial expression all are phenomenally captured in this shot.

Ida is a must see movie for anyone who loves photography and cinematography, or for anyone who wants to contemplate on life and what we are supposed to do in it, or for anyone who wants to explore the angelic and evil capacities of humans.… Expand

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7

Brent_MarchantJan 9, 2015

A hauntingly beautiful journey of self-discovery into one's roots, as well as into paths taken and not taken. Exquisite black-and-white cinematography provides a superb means for carrying the narrative of this subtle but profound drama. TheA hauntingly beautiful journey of self-discovery into one's roots, as well as into paths taken and not taken. Exquisite black-and-white cinematography provides a superb means for carrying the narrative of this subtle but profound drama. The director's deft handling of the material delivers an impactful story without ever becoming heavy-handed or maudlin, even in light of the central plot line's circumstances.… Expand

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8

adamjonesJul 30, 2014

Saw this at the Music Box Theater in Chicago. Perhaps it was the theater that helped (a wonderful one if you have the chance to visit) but I was very pleasantly surprised by IDA. This film has a subtle style about it. It takes place in theSaw this at the Music Box Theater in Chicago. Perhaps it was the theater that helped (a wonderful one if you have the chance to visit) but I was very pleasantly surprised by IDA. This film has a subtle style about it. It takes place in the early sixties (roughly) and specifically follows the cultural momentum of the relevant jazz music at the time, notably Coltrane. This helps to create a wonderful environment around the occurrences of the story.

Also, the interplay between the two main characters, Ida and her aunt, is very well done.

Definitely watch this one

8/10… Expand

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9

smartmartSep 18, 2015

A slow, quiet dramatic film that deserved the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. The visuals are absolutely, and the black and white look suits the film perfectly. A lot of people won't like the style and say that it is really boring, but IA slow, quiet dramatic film that deserved the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. The visuals are absolutely, and the black and white look suits the film perfectly. A lot of people won't like the style and say that it is really boring, but I really liked the style, personally. The really slow tone made you appreciate the beautiful cinematography even more.… Expand

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9

Mohammad_Ali_YAug 8, 2015

strong! very strong! a polish masterpiece!
a deep & strong photography with wonderful use of fixed cameras! direct & simple screenplay but also it is so nice, dark but light, twilight in fact!!! and i can say it is very very respectful movie!

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9

EpicLadySpongeMay 25, 2016

Ida suits drama as its own flesh cold in the winter. Perhaps we might look back at 1962 in Poland to learn everything we might see, hear, and do while watching Ida.

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7

JLuis_001Sep 6, 2017

Ida, is not at all a bad movie, its film values are great and the cinematography is amazing, but Ida is not an easy film to assimilate or understand so you should try to understand that while you're watching it.

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8

amheretojudgeFeb 28, 2019

I, Solemly Vow.

Ida Pawlikowski's black and white anthem is not to be hummed along with but to be listened attentively, persistently and infinitely. This eerie relationship between a girl and her aunt, that has previously been explored inI, Solemly Vow.

Ida

Pawlikowski's black and white anthem is not to be hummed along with but to be listened attentively, persistently and infinitely. This eerie relationship between a girl and her aunt, that has previously been explored in many ways in a side track, is the real truth of the film. Encountering someone for the first time in your life is always a sweet sugar-coated meet, but when someone with bitter language greets you and welcomes you with open arms, you are obliged to be hooked into it. And this is how Pawel Pawlikowski; the co-writer and director, reels you in, in his first act, a long lost elderly relative meeting you by describing you with the references of your parents, is something we can all connect with.

A cinematography that celebrates the authentic busyness and emptiness of other characters' lifestyle is how the maker is speaking with us. A hitchhiking friend inviting you, a woman asking for the blessings of a child and a man on his deathbed regretting his deeds. These gem like moments aside, Pawlikowski has a poised manner in even crafting out a musical sequence, lost in an abyss feeling, he jarres his viewers with silent pitches.

Anna (Agata Trzebuchowska) our rooting contender, is the familiar nun on the verge of claiming her vows, speaks very little through her words but aplenty with her eyes. Personally, I will be biased to her aunt Wanda played beautifully by Agata Kulesza whose character is simply more cinematic than any other. Brooding, mocking and judging every other person with generous body language, she is the soul reason why the film grows more compact and ironically free too. Ida is a love letter with very little romance in it, it is a ride you should take, that is all, no other bourgeois excuse required.… Expand

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9

FlipjeMay 26, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a gently, bleak beauty of a film. The Catholic dichotomy of the virgin and the whore could be said to be the central thesis of the film. In 1960s Poland, Anna (Trzebuchowska), a novice nun is informed by her prioress she has a living relative, her aunt Wanda (Kulesza), a judge in Warsaw. The prioress informs her she must visit said relative before being allowed to take her vows. Visiting her aunt in the big city, Anna learns that her real name is actually Ida and her parents were Jewish, killed during the war. Right away, we find the two women diametrically opposed with the soft-spoken, genteel and observant young nun patiently journeying across Poland with her chain-smoking, alcoholic and brutally forthcoming judge. Wanda, both grateful for having a living relative and scarred by her knowledge of life and her encounters with her fellow man, wants Ida to experience some of the world's pleasures. Ida kindly tolerates her oft-belligerent aunt as they begin to unravel the story of her parent's death. The information they glean is abhorrent and in keeping with the time. The survivors, both victims and tormentors appear to be living in the bland aftermath of existence which would explain why Wanda has been known as the Red Judge (or Bloody Judge, depending on the film translation you encounter). When Ida/Anna returns to her convent, one might guess the film is over. No, she must return once more to Warsaw to deal with her aunt. During this last foray into the world, Ida meets a saxophone player she and her aunt encountered and enjoys a momentary tryst with him. The young novice, having literally tried on her aunt's shoes, finds the pleasures of the world shallow. As such, she leaves her one night stand musician/lover and returns to the convent. Normally a film like this that makes no attempt at humor can be a drag. However, there is the sardonic humor of having the virgin and whore attempt to get along. And while one perishes and the other escapes, reminding the viewer that the world can be pretty... crappy, this is a film that works its small wonders. And it's under 90 minutes with no padding. Cinematic beauty with a lot of weltschmerz. If it had been 120 minutes long, it wold be another story.… Expand

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10

LucasTSSep 23, 2019

Summary: Poland, 1962. Anna (Agata Trzebuchowska), an eighteen-year-old novitiate nun is on the verge of taking her vows when she discovers a dark family secret dating back to the years of the Nazi occupation.

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