Sara

"Sara" is a pretty good Polish crime/action flick. It has what must be a pretty typical Hollywood-type plot, and handles it well enough, but what is more impressive are its shoot out sequences, which are more reminiscent of John Woo.

The plot involves a down-and-out ex-Special forces squad mate, now an alcoholic, who is employed as the bodyguard for a mob boss's daughter. Typically, the daughter hates him at first. Can you guess where this is going? Has there ever been a more trustworthy tip off in a movie that characters are going to fall in love, than them hating each other at first?

What's surprising is that the movie provides frequent nudity from Sara, the mob boss's daughter, but I don't remember any actual sex. It just cuts to straight after it. Is there some Polish restriction on simulated sex in movies?

Of course, they can't let the mob boss know that they've become an item, but you know he's eventually going to find out, and there are some violent shoot outs that are very well handled, and even a surprise ending.

The movie falls short of greatness, though, for a few reasons. One, the titular Sara never emerges with a personality of her own. Pretty much all her actions are dictated by the needs of the plot. Plus, the movie kind of drags and feels overlong at almost two hours.

Still, it's so much better than you might expect, for a violent mafia thriller-cross bullet-fu flick... from Poland, of all places.

I say check it out.

I really don't understand why this film hasn't become a huge block buster.It is simply the most beautiful, original, and highly intelligent film. Boguslaw Linda (Leon) shines through as the alcoholic bodyguard and his original and snappy dialogue is exquisite. Go buy it, watch it, whatever! Just make sure you see it!!!!!

An ex-special forces soldier (Leon). is hired to be the bodyguard of a local mobster's daughter (Sara). They fall deeply in love with each other, but there are obstacles that stand in their way. One, the girl's father has already made plans for her future, and two, Sara is sixteen and Leon is forty. They hide their love, knowing that if Sara's father finds out he really will kill Leon. Needless to say, her father does find out.

The first ten minutes of this film are really quite awful,some of the action shots are over the top, and several parts are downright flaky, but I promise, you will LOVE this movie. This is quite simply one of the most unique and original films I have ever seen. It is a cross between a mob movie, an action film,a comedy, and a love story. Once past the first few scenes, this movie just keeps getting better and better. The last fifteen minutes are wonderful, and the ending is one of my all-time favorites. I hated to see it conclude.

While the action is fast paced and exciting, the real core of this movie is the love story between Leon, (played by the great Boguslaw Linda) and Sara (real life sixteen-year old Agnieszka Wlodarczyk). This is not a case of schoolgirl infatuation, or an older man seducing and taking advantage of a young girl. The love between Leon and Sara is the real thing, and the actors do such a convincing job portraying this that the ages of the characters becomes a moot-point next to the genuine love that comprises this relationship. Pay close attention to the song "I'm Your Man" that is sung as the movie comes to a close. Not only is it a nice love song, but it is sung by Boguslaw Linda. The lyrics fit in so well with the final scene that you realize that the singer is actually Leon, expressing his feelings of love to Sara and it works into the film beautifully.

Along with action and romance, the director makes clever use of humor. This is a Polish movie, and it is clear that in some ways the director was striving to emulate American mob and action movies. When they're not shooting someone, or burying bodies in the back yard, one of the gangsters favorite activities is watching subtitled American films about organized crime. They seem to be mesmerized by them. I am an American, and I don't speak Polish, so this meant I had to use subtitles. Basically then, you have Americans watching a Polish mob movie in subtitles of Polish mob members watching American mob movies in subtitles. You just have to love the paradox there, and I'm pretty sure it was intentional on the part of the director.

In short, there is something about this film that just clicks. Once viewed, it becomes an instant favorite-one of those films you just love to see again and again. I've lent my copy to many of my friends, and I have yet to have anyone tell me they disliked it.

I really enjoyed this movie because it was well acted, full of suspense and tapped into basic fairy story themes. An essentially simple story is well told and the character development is Shakespearean in its subtlety and in its insights into human nature. I would buy this on video or DVD if it becomes available.

Wow! Even with some considerable "overacting" by some of the characters, this movie leaves all versions of the "Lolita" movies for dead. A very beautiful and young (seems VERY young!) girl falls madly, passionately in love with a much older man, her bodyguard. She is the daughter of a ruthless Mafioso, so Mr bodyguard must be very very careful here. A very very erotic movie. Apart from that, I thought that the girls father, the Mafioso guy, was very well acted. Quietly spoken, very understated.