| | |  | CZECH REPUBLIC | Home » » Something Like Happiness | | | | | | | Description: | | Feeling trapped in her small, industrial hometown in Czechoslovakia, Monika (Tatiana Vilhelmova) hopes to receive a call from her boyfriend, who left for a more prosperous life in America. Meanwhile, two of her childhood friends struggle with their own fragile relationships, each feeling that their lives are more pitiable in comparison. Tender drama also stars Pavel Liska, Marek Daniel. 102 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: Czech Dolby Digital stereo; Subtitles: English; biographies; bonus short "Backseat Bingo" (2004). In Czech with English subtitles. | | | Features: | |
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Language: Czech
• Subtitles: English
• Short Film: Backseat Bingo Sexy Senior Seeks Same. Backseat Bingo is a poignant and humorous animated documentary about the romantic lives of Senior Citizens. Director: Liz Blazer
| | | Product Details: | | | Actors:
| Armand Denis, Martin Huba, Boleslav PolÃvka, Simona Stasova, Anna Geislerová | | Director:
| Bohdan Slama | | Format:
| Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled | | Language:
| Czech | | Subtitle:
| English | | Number of Discs:
| 1 | | Studio:
| Film Movement | | Run Time:
| 107 minutes | | DVD Release Date:
| November 06, 2007 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 8 reviews |
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| $6.90+ $4.99 *Shipping | New | | | $8.99+ $4.99 *Shipping | New | | | $10.00+ $4.99 *Shipping | New | | | $12.58+ $4.18 *Shipping | New | | | $13.06+ $4.99 *Shipping | New | | | $13.06+ $4.99 *Shipping | New | | | $14.27+ $4.68 *Shipping | New | | | $14.53+ $3.99 *Shipping | New | | | $14.98+ $4.68 *Shipping | New | | | $15.00+ $4.99 *Shipping | New | | | $15.40+ $4.99 *Shipping | New | | | $19.81+ $4.99 *Shipping | New | | | $24.95+ $2.98 *Shipping This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $29.45+ $4.99 *Shipping | New | | | $119.99+ $4.99 *Shipping | New | |
| Used | |
| $6.20+ $4.99 *Shipping | Used
- VeryGood | | | $6.21+ $4.99 *Shipping | Used
- VeryGood | | | $6.28+ $4.99 *Shipping | Used
- VeryGood | | | $6.44+ $4.99 *Shipping | Used
- VeryGood | | | $8.52+ $4.99 *Shipping | Used
- Good | | | $9.18+ $2.98 *Shipping This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | Used
- Acceptable | | | $12.58+ $4.18 *Shipping | Used
- Good | | | $12.95+ $4.99 *Shipping | Used
- Good | | | $24.94+ $4.99 *Shipping | Used
- Mint | | | $29.45+ $4.99 *Shipping | Used
- Mint | | | $51.18+ $4.99 *Shipping | Used
- Good | |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 8 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 12 found the following review helpful:
 a gem not to be missedApr 20, 2007
By MonsieurRichard
Love-hate relations among three friends (Monika, Dasha and Tonika) who grew up in an impoverished neighborhood. Three smoke stacks from a nuclear plant are omnipresent in the backdrop, perhaps a symbol of the alienation of the three characters and their dire milieu. Dasha, an emotionally unstable nyphomaniac with 2 kids, is in great need of her friends' help, yet resentfully rejecting them. Tonika is a kind-hearted good for nothing whose undiscovered love for Monika becomes the impetus for a change in his life. Monika is the most finacially secured and emotionally the strongest of the three. However she's finding herself distancing from her highly eligible boyfriend who is pursuing a medical profession in the US. A worsening of Dasha's condition draws us into the plot and a web of their family relations. The movie is superbly directed, each character is fully developed and unpretentious. It's a refreshing surprise. I'd highly recomend it to any mature audience (there is a couple of brief sexual situations in the movie).
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Subtly & Relentlessly PowerfulMay 09, 2008
By D. Hupp
"Hup234"
The acting is first-rate -- Geislerova, Vilhelmova, and Liska shine. Geislerova's performance is electric -- she makes Dasha so vividly disturbing. Vilhelmova and Liska, on the other hand, project subtle yet powerful caring, compassion and depth. I expect that you will see a lot more of this talented trio in the future.
The combined effect of the emotional web that centers on these 3 gifted performers is enhanced by the rest of the superb ensemble cast and increases the believability of the story-line and the setting. The struggles of everyday life among a group of friends, lovers, and relatives in an economically depressed area is so vivid and life-like that viewers from all walks of life will easily relate to them.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the story and the characters develop gradually but relentlessly. Patience in watching this film will be rewarded -- the emotional undertones will grip you and refuse to let go of you.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A Feel Good MovieOct 05, 2011
By smotto00
A feel good movie, with a great story line that really shows how we all struggle with life's ups and downs, and how we can have some small semblance of happiness in the end!
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Small Film Worth WatchingJan 15, 2010
By Bryan A. Pfleeger
Bohdan Sláma is becoming a director to reckon with and two of his works have made the Film Movement Collection. In Something Like Happiness (Stestí) he creates a compelling small drama about the fact that life catches up with all of us no matter how we try to escape it.
Monika(Tatiana Vilhelmová),Tonik(Pavel Liska)and Dasha(Anna Geislerová) all three friends living in a housing project on the outskirts of a bleak industrial Czech city. Each longs for something that the others have but don't have themseves be it a dream ofva better life, a lover in America or stability. When Dasha has a breakdown and is institutionalized Monika and Tonik adopt her two young children and move onto Tonik's aunt's farm. Along with the new living arrangements come feelings of longing and love that both parties did not realize existed.
The film is beautifully shot and its presentation is fitting for the source material. Like Slama's other offering The Country Teacher this is a small film that is well worth seeking out. The film did extremely well on the festival circuit and garnered several Czech film awards.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
good filmDec 20, 2011
By happy listener
Well acted. I enjoyed it very much. It is vary sad and deals with loneliness and love. I would recommend the film but I will mention again that that it is sad.
See all 8 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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