Non Plus Ultras

Reviewed by: Tereza Schneiderova

Non Plus Ultras is a new Czech movie that revolves entirely around football and pubs. It doesn’t have any deep meaning or push you into think, but at least it’s not another pathetic romantic comedy or a “funny” teenager film. There are light moments when you tell yourself that it’s not so bad. This seemed to be an experimental movie of a director who had an idea but didn’t bring it to fulfillment.

In the beginning you get to know the main characters. All of them are men and all of them love football and alcohol. Like every group, even they have a leader; his nickname is “Bejcak.” He is a tough guy with a good heart. He lives with his mother and a sister. He has three tough friends who never bother with manners or being polite. The last guy in the group is an outsider who always looks somewhat naive.

One of the guys, “Pejsek” is a serious fan of English soccer. His ultimate goal is to invite two English Ultras (ultras is a word for life time fans in England) to Prague. They come, bringing some problems along with them.

There is a funny scene when Bejcak brings them home and tries to communicate with them in English. They are totally drunk. As football fans are also fans of beer and alcohol in general we get many insights into typical Czech pubs with typical Czech waiters. All the scenes in this film give you an idea of how real football fans live. Everything seemed real to me. But as the director mentioned in one interview, “it’s all not authenticable.”

Every movie should have a love story behind it. And even this film does. The end is for you to see in the movies. Just to get you interested, Bejcak is the one who falls in love.

This movie is a bit rough and not everyone might understand these people but it’s a movie with a new idea and a specific sense of humor. I wasn’t thrilled by this movie but it is a cool movie for those of you who like football and Czech pubs. The rest of you will probably think twice before going to a match after seeing it.

Director: Jakub Sluka

Staring: Vladimir Dlouhy (Tycka), Karel Zima (Pejsek), David Novotny (Bejcak), Oldrich Kaiser (Lojza), Jiri Labus (Pepa), Jana Hlavácova (Mother), Nada Konvalinkova (Iveta)

Script: Jiri Popel

Camera: Jakub Dvorsky