Zelary
Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: September 17, 2004 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
66
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews
Positive:
16
Mixed:
4
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
VarietyEddie Cockrell
Managing to be at once epic and intimate, Zelary matches a resilient urban woman against a compassionate rural man in the spectacular Moravian countryside during World War II. Results rep a triumph of regional filmmaking, but in the David Lean tradition. Read full review
80
The New York TimesDana Stevens
It has a familiar, lived-in feel, and if its observations of rural life at a time of political turmoil don't feel terribly original, they are nonetheless absorbing and sometimes powerful. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
It's a convincing romantic drama, written, directed and acted with so much skill it's able to break loose from its conventional moorings and become more effective, more moving than we anticipated. Read full review
80
Dallas ObserverBill Gallo
This vivid exploration of the human animal creates a romantic alchemy that's raw, unsettling, and touching. Read full review
78
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
By the time it's over you find yourself wondering why more films don't have the chutzpah to delve deeper into the battle-weary heart. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Well acted, handsomely photographed, a bit too long. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsRobert Dominguez
Zelary succeeds as moving indictment of war. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleRuthe Stein
A well-deserved 2003 Oscar nominee for best foreign-language film. Read full review
75
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
There is a heart-warming familiarity to much of its 2 1/2-hour tale, but the surprises around its edges gives Zelary a refreshing perspective. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
The story is as basic as a peasant meal - and just as hearty. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterSheri Linden
The story feels a bit more episodic as it proceeds, but for most of the two-hour running time it flows at an earthbound tempo, thanks to Trojan's assured, unobtrusive direction. Read full review
70
The New RepublicStanley Kauffmann
The tension with which the picture starts soon dissipates, the contrast between Eliska's background and her present place is lost, and the film plods into a tale of village life, spiced only occasionally with a hint of German threat. Read full review
70
Washington PostDesson Thomson
For fans of old-fashioned European filmmaking, this may have its pleasing qualities. Read full review
63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Liam Lacey
A trite but sturdy offering, a showcase for popular young Czech actress Anna Geislerova, as well as the beautiful Moravian countryside, shot in glowing earthy tones. Read full review
63
Miami HeraldMarta Barber
As a war drama, Zelary is as gentle and pastoral as its setting. At times, you think it's a new chapter in "The Sound of Music." Read full review
63
Boston GlobeJanice Page
This is just humble, heartwarming storytelling with good acting and lush visuals. Read full review
50
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
The fact that it's based on a true story doesn't make it feel any less trite. Read full review
50
New York PostV.A. Musetto
It's rather sweet and life-affirming, although the transformation from sophisticate to peasant happens too conveniently and quickly. Read full review
50
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
A well-intentioned but overlong Czech drama that comes apart completely in the last 20 minutes? Read full review
40
Village VoiceDavid Ng
Zelary strands its protagonists in a hermetically sealed world where time runs in place. It's a feeling that viewers of this two-and-a-half-hour epic will come to know all too well. Read full review
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