"Zápisník alkoholicky" ("Her Drunken Diary") treats the theme of alcohol addiction in a strange mix of drama and humor that goes off-putting
for some time, but it's a quite manageable work as well. It's not much effective when it comes to the issue of recovery and redemption since there are
many things treated in a non serious and non realistic manner, which may affect viewers perception of the whole; but when it's dealing with the disease
and the whole difficulties and damage of it all, it hits many great memorable notes that makes the story relevant and worth seeing. The acting helps a
lot too.
It's also a real life story as written by blogger Michaela Duffková, here played by Tereza Ramba,
recounting the many phases of her drunken days, which affected her role as a wife of a hard-working husband (Miloslav König) and a mother. And if such
tasks go along with some heavy pressure, she's undermined by her demanding mother-in-law who keeps advising her son that she's not a good wife/mother.
A single bottle of wine doesn't hurt anyone until that one bottle becomes several through the course of days, weeks, months and problems rise for anyone
to see, from the wedding party to more dangerous scenarios where the baby is almost put at risk, and the woman becomes a violent person who refuses to
see that she needs help.
It's a very gripping film but not much a moving one. The seriousness of Michaela's addiction with countless symptoms and effects was done in a
great manner, the moments of withdrawal and how she tries to cope with them; and the whole marriage dissolution is done a relevant manner where we can
relate with both sides, the affected one by addiction and the one who's trying to help the sufferer. Other great inclusions are her relationship with
her separated parents (the dad is also an alcoholic trying to overcome his addiction), and a friendly fellow addict she meets on a therapy group.
But on the other hand, there are affected moments
trying to show things in a lighter/funny perspective that simply doesn't work. Take the opening scene, which later on repeats in the middle, when the
man takes a picture of the woman on the ground (it's later revealed as being a party) after drinking champagne. It's like he's mocking her, but by that
time he already knew that she had a problem. The quick appointment with a therapist when she claims she doesn't any problem and later on she's given
medicine without having a full session, it simply didn't ring true. Those bits and others hurt the story since the seriousness of it all is quickly
established, it's how audiences can understand and evaluate the risks she faces and the ways she can get help.
A fine movie, no doubt about it, but it doesn't reach the greatness of similar themed films made in the past, both the darker ones and the
positive/hopeful ones. 7/10.
