I always thought Loners was just a situational comedy about a group of friends whose relationships occasionally intertwine and cause some chaos. But years later, I realized it's actually about something much deeper. And maybe that's exactly why the film still works so well more than 25 years later - it's timeless.
In reality, it's a portrait of a generation trying to deal with the emotional baggage left by their parents - trying to process their upbringing, trauma, and the absence of clear direction.
Vesna hasn't seen her father in years, even though he lives somewhere in the Czech Republic. She clings to UFO fantasies, unable to find any real grounding in life. Hanka is trying to have a normal relationship and escape the influence of her parents, but without realizing it, she behaves exactly like her mother.
Petr isolates himself from the world in a radio studio, building a bubble no one else can enter. Jakub turns to weed and drugs to avoid facing life, but in doing so, destroys any real human connection he could have.
Then there are characters who've chosen to become drug dealers or sex workers - not necessarily because they want to, but because they don't see any better options in the chaos around them.
And then there's Ondrej - seemingly the only one who has it all: a wife, twins, a stable life. But even he wants to run away. From his family, from responsibility - maybe even from himself. It's a reminder that even the most "normal" life can feel suffocating.
Loners isn't just about relationships between people - it's about the relationship each of us has with ourselves, and how hard it can be to break free from what we've inherited from our families. The film is ironic, melancholic, often funny - but above all, it's honest. And that's why it hasn't aged a bit. It's also timeless thanks to the iconic soundtrack by Jan P. Muchow, which perfectly captures the mood and emotional depth of the story.
