Le hasard

No way I could read the previous terrible review and not comment.

This film is outstanding and is a must-see for anyone interested in films by Kieslowski and films of this era. It is also a great film for non-film buffs who are interested in the experience of Eastern European Communism.

This movie formats the ethical problems of living under/in Communism better than any professor or history book. You don't have to have an intricate knowledge of communism, ethics, or of post-WWII Polish history to enjoy the film. But you have to follow each scenario closely. You can't doze off or leave the theater. (I would think that the 3-in-1 format alone would be enjoyable for the average viewer--who should be able to clearly delineate the basic dilemmas in each setting.)

Those who did not live in Poland or Central and Eastern Europe can probably not fully relate to the multiple ethical obstacles daily life presented and the existential nature of it all. However, we all have choices to make in our daily lives. Although in a totally different setting, we all must make a choice to join, resist, or withdraw in various stages of our lives.

I would strongly encourage anyone to view this film. I would also encourage the previous reviewer, and any viewer of the film, to watch it more than once.

I could not resist but add to the comments for this film since it has stuck in my memory since catching it quite unexpectedly on late night tv and thinking this was something really extraordinary. And having seen others of Kieslowski since I don't think anything for me, has surpassed this. And possibly that Sliding doors and run lola run may take from this...i But I would like to hear from Poles living in Poland. (sulac?)

What did one reviewer mean by saying that we could not understand fully? i know that is probabaly true and would like to know

What difference does a fraction of a second make? In baseball, it's the difference between a home run and strike three.

In the Olympics, it's the difference between a gold medal and 10th place.

In the movie Blind Chance, it's the difference of a lifetime.

An example of expert craftsmanship by Krzysztof Kieslowski, Blind Chance affords us the rare opportunity to see how a blip in time, a mere split second, can profoundly affect a person's current situation, and the path their life will take from that moment forward.

While the significance of sliced seconds is shown, we get to enjoy some quality time with the communist party, the anti-communist underground, some lovely ladies sans attire, and a mob of disgruntled drug addicts. We are also treated to one or more Slinkies going down stairs alone or in pairs. Indeed, it's quite a blend of characters, motives, and ideologies. However, it is not the point of the film to take sides, make moral statements, or ponder idealistic philosophies. The point is merely to illustrate its premise.

Let there be no doubt that the premise is more than adequately served. From top to bottom, beginning to end, Blind Chance is a fantastic film, an entertaining drama that encourages thought, while not being overbearing.

Just be sure to pay close attention, because a fraction of a second can also be the difference between understanding this film and missing the point entirely.

Blind Chance was built on a fascinating and intriguing idea yet the film feels like it's made mostly for the Polish audience or at least the audience familiar with 80s in Poland. Some scenes feel too uncomprehensible, and the director doesn't even bother explaining them. The three versions being built on mainly political, religious and scientific paths is another good idea of the film but the execution falls short yet again. Overall interesting movie but it's not fun to watch or even thought-provoking as it may sound.

Blind Chance (Przypadek, 1981) is the first of Kieslowski's films to trade upon explicitly religious themes and seems to mark the beginning of the great director's turn toward introspection and the spiritual realm that so characterizes his later work (especially Decalogue and the Three Colors trilogy). The Polish title could be literally translated "coincidence," an appropriate if possibly ironic title for a three-part film about a young man whose life course appears to be solely determined by his ability or inability to catch a train. Kieslowski has his doubts about such coincidences, for he described the film as "a description of the powers which meddle with our fate, which push us one way or another" (Kieslowski on Kieslowski, ed. Danusia Stok 113). Incidentally, this film inspired Peter Howitt's film Sliding Doors (1998) and Tom Tykwer's Run Lola Run (1998), but to my mind, Kieslowski's is a superior film. The original tends to be the best, and he is a true original.