Agnieszka Holland's latest film, "Franz," is a biopic of the enigmatic Czech author Franz Kafka, praised for its playful and moving approach to a life that wasn't outwardly eventful. Holland, along with screenwriter Marek Epstein and editor Pavel Hrdlicka, chose a kaleidoscopic, montage-like structure that flits through Kafka's life and beyond, leaping decades with single cuts, rather than a conventional chronological narrative. This method allows the film to draw connections between Kafka's childhood experiences, such as being thrown into a river by his father, and his adult neuroses or the modern-day impact of his work.
The film delves into Kafka's complex emotional inner life, showcasing his intellect and humor, and his relationships, including his tortured engagement with Felicie Bauer and a later affair with journalist Milena Jesenska. It highlights his Jewish identity and Zionist beliefs without pandering. Idan Weiss portrays Franz Kafka, earning praise for his intense, playful, and sweet rendition of the author, making it a memorable aspect of the film.
"Franz" also explores the author's enduring and at times absurd legacy. It features recurring scenes of modern-day Prague, showing Kafka as an icon with burger restaurants, statues, and tourist traps named after him. Characters break the fourth wall to discuss Kafka, and the film includes a moving coda detailing Max Brod's efforts to preserve Kafka's writings, risking his life to smuggle them out of Nazi-occupied Prague and foreshadowing the Holocaust, which claimed many of Kafka's family members. The film's musical score by Mary Komasa and Antoni Łazarkiewicz adds to its otherworldly ambiance.
