On the Roof

The movie tells about an elderly retired school teacher leaving in Prague and a young Vietnamese running from the police. The plot is well-written, complete and coherent. The theme of Vietnamese minority (who are one of the largest in the Czech Republic) contributes to the story and to exoticism of some opening scenes, but is not overdone. Otherwise the story touches the fundamental issues of aging and self-doubt and sends out a clear message. The performance from Alois Svehlík is superb (with the Clint Eastwood style looks), Duy Anh Tran's debut is also very good and the rest of the cast supports them well. Generally, the movie is well balanced, it's funny, it's heart-warming, it's thought provoking. All in all, a very pleasant experience.