The Unbearable Lightness of Being Movie Review 1988

Tomas (Day Lewis), a young Czech doctor in the late 1960s, leads a sexually and emotionally carefree existence with a number of women, including provocative artist Olin. When he meets the fragile Binoche, he may be falling in love for the first time. On the eve of the 1968 Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia the two flee to Switzerland, but Binoche can't reconcile herself to exile and returns, followed by the reluctant Tomas who has lost his position because of his new-found political idealism. They lead an increasingly simple life, drawn ever closer together. The haunting ending caps off superb performances. Based on the novel by Milan Kundera.

Distribution

Orion Home Video, MGM, 2500 Broadway, 3515, Santa Monica, CA 90404-3036, Phone: (310)449-3000, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 172 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Romantic Drama, Shutterbugs, Torrid Love Scenes, Doctors & Nurses, Sex & Sexuality, Romantic Triangles

Screenplay

Jean-Claude Carriere, Philip Kaufman

Cast

Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin, Derek De Lint, Erland Josephson, Pavel Landovsky, Donald Moffat, Daniel Olbrychski, Stellan Skarsgard, Tormek Bork, Bruce Myers, Pavel Slaby, Pascale Kalensky, Jacques Ciron, Anne Lonnberg, Laszlo Szabo, Vladimir Valenta, Clovis Cornillac, Leon Lissek, Consuelo de Haviland

Cinematography

Sven Nykvist

Director

Philip Kaufman

Music

Mark Adler, Ernie Fosselius, Leos Janacek

Producer

Saul Zaentz Company, Orion Pictures

Awards

British Acad. 1988: Adapt. Screenplay; Ind. Spirit 1989: Cinematog.; Natl. Soc. Film Critics 1988: Director (Kaufman), Film.