by Amanda Webster
Worth: $17.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Bezerédi Zoltán, Szabó Kimmel Tamás, Leo Gagel, Váradi Roland, Máhr Ági
Intro:
… a touching and intimate dramedy about grief, reconciliation and acceptance.
All About the Levkoviches is a touching and intimate dramedy about grief, reconciliation and acceptance. The screenplay, co-written by Ádám Breier and Csaba Bálint, also Breier’s first feature, examines family relationships that have become complicated over time.
After the unexpected death of his beloved wife Zsuzsa (Máhr Ági), hardened former boxing champion Tamás Levkovich (Bezerédi Zoltán) is forced to reunite with his estranged son Ivan (Szabó Kimmel Tamás), a practising orthodox Jew. Stubborn and stoic, Tamás has refused to speak to his son Ivan for the last eight years and has never had a relationship with his grandchildren, six-year-old Ariel (Leo Gagel) or met Ivan’s newborn baby girl.
The pair are reunited when Ivan returns to the family home from Israel to sit Shiva – a week of mourning to honour his mother. Tamás, faced with the void left by his wife’s passing, agrees to the visit on the condition that he brings Ariel. Initially shy and suspicious of his atheist grandfather, Ariel’s curiosity and innocence prevail, and a bond gradually develops.
The use of monikers in the film helps to illuminate relationships between characters. Tamas and Zsuzsa’s affection is evident as they playfully refer to each other as Fred and Wilma. In comparison, the antagonistic relationship between father and son is apparent by their respective names for each other. Tamás refers to Ivan as ‘swim cap’, a dig at his religious beliefs, whilst Ivan sarcastically refers to his father as ‘mouthguard’.
Tension builds during the week spent together as they struggle with their differences. Tamás goes to great lengths to avoid dealing with emotions of grief and guilt. Humorous scenes dealing with the absurdity of situations, such as battling with flat-pack furniture and fighting evil spirits, provide levity as past traumas and grievances inevitably surface. Syncopated polka and accordion music used at scene transitions, often associated with slapstick comedy, also give a lightness to heavy themes.
The characters of Feri (Váradi Roland) and Ariel are the heart of the film. Roma boxing protégé, Feri’s sincerity and kindness help to soften the hardened Tamás and nudge him onto a path of acceptance. Ariel, believing that a ghost is holding the spirit of his grandmother hostage and preventing her from reaching ‘The Eternal Light’, becomes the thread that weaves father and son back together.
Set against the stark backdrop of the Jewish Quarter in Budapest, residential monoliths looming in the background are reminders of a communist past that the people have endured – political upheaval, invasion, war – and highlight resilience. All About the Levkoviches is tender and funny and frames the value of acceptance and reconciliation.