The Unbearable Lightness of Being

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The Unbearable Lightness of Being

R,

1988,

2h 51m,

Drama

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Watchlist

Watchlist

89%

27 Reviews

Tomatometer

84%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

27 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Successful surgeon Tomas (Daniel Day-Lewis) leaves Prague for an operation, meets a young photographer named Tereza (Juliette Binoche), and brings her back with him. Tereza is surprised to learn that Tomas is already having an affair with the bohemian Sabina (Lena Olin), but when the Soviet invasion occurs, all three flee to Switzerland. Sabina begins an affair, Tomas continues womanizing, and Tereza, disgusted, returns to Czechoslovakia. Realizing his mistake, Tomas decides to chase after her.

Critics Consensus

Exploring sexual mores against the backdrop of real-life social upheaval, The Unbearable Lightness of Being artfully blends the political and the erotic.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

Sep 15, 2023

I didn't remember anything of the Milan Kundera novel. But as the movie started I knew just what was coming next and I loved seeing it happen -- it was like a dream that you long to return to, and lo! there it is.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Oct 16, 2008

Richly satisfying adaptation.

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

May 20, 2003

It's possible to read the book in less time.

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Feb 20, 2024

4/4

It's an uncommonly mature, literate work, and one that embraces the erotic openly and without apprehension.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Jul 12, 2023

5/5

…different from the book, but if you’re looking for an accessible route into Kundera’s work, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is one of the great narratives about life, fate, poetry and fatality...

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Jul 8, 2022

The film is like a sonata in four seasons. [Full review in Spanish]

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Apr 21, 2019

loyal to the original book (although the book has more philosophical content). prague is absolutely beautiful, and daniel day-lewis is soooo attractive

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Hagrid M

Oct 24, 2018

The Unbearable unLightness of watching such tedious film and only to see that women can't help loving men-doctors even in prague - that is really something...

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Theodore P

Apr 15, 2018

One of the best acted, directed and intelligent adaptions of a challenging book translated to film.

Finn R

Jan 18, 2018

It is really rare for me to find a film that is better than its printed counterpart, and to be honest I did not like Milan Kundera's book that much in the first place. I wanted to watch this solely because I love to watch Daniel Day-Lewis doing it's job: he never does it wrong. So my 2 stars and a half are for him and for the director, but if you want to enjoy the story, or you don't know which version to pick, my little push is towards the book!

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Han W

Nov 29, 2017

I've always loved this film and was shocked to read that DDL considered it a mistake and always regretted being part of it.

Leia G

May 16, 2017

For a movie that is nearly 3 hours long, I still have a hard time figuring out what the point of it was. The characters aren't very likable, the story drags on and jumps all over the place, and the ending feels like a sucker punch. Critics seem to love this movie, but I think it is just a bunch of libtards that are upvoting it for having lots of nudity. Maybe I just don't get it, which is fine. All I know is that I will never watch this again.

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Philip Kaufman

Director

Daniel Day-Lewis

Tomas

Juliette Binoche

Tereza

Lena Olin

Sabina

Derek de Lint

Franz

Erland Josephson

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Synopsis

Successful surgeon Tomas (Daniel Day-Lewis) leaves Prague for an operation, meets a young photographer named Tereza (Juliette Binoche), and brings her back with him. Tereza is surprised to learn that Tomas is already having an affair with the bohemian Sabina (Lena Olin), but when the Soviet invasion occurs, all three flee to Switzerland. Sabina begins an affair, Tomas continues womanizing, and Tereza, disgusted, returns to Czechoslovakia. Realizing his mistake, Tomas decides to chase after her.

Director: Philip Kaufman
Producer: Saul Zaentz
Distributor: Warner Home Vídeo, Criterion Collection, Orion Pictures
Production Co: Saul Zaentz Company
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 5, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 28, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $9.3M
Runtime: 2h 51m
Sound Mix: Surround

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