Haut et bas

This is an excellent movie with engrossing and intricate subplots. I wanted to find a movie that fit well with my cultural focus, and this movie does a great job highlighting the complexities surrounding Czech identity post-Communism, and how it sometimes clashes with immigration and globalization. All of the subplots fit together at the end and it will surprise you. Loved the humanness of it all.

A genial tragicomedy= HOREM PÁDEM. A couple of clues, not coheretive at the first look, matched at the end that is HOREM PÁDEM. The situation humor brings you a lot of laugh, although you know that it is not humor, it is the cruel reality. A mother, who wants to have a child, but she cannot, because her husband, a football/soccer fan is in condition. But he tries, until the end when he sees that his trying was useless. The second clue is about thieves and transferors through the borders; the third one about a tossed family. You would not believe how this will fit together. Plus wonderful actor performances and nice settings. Unbelievable dialogues; with one sentence: you must watch HOREM PÁDEM!!!

This is type of well now czech movies... You know, lot of talking, lot of emotion, lot of talking, talking, and movie without typical action... But it is not action movie, it's movie about racism, and it is true movie, I mean the situation in the movie and in the Czech republic is same...

First time, when I saw this film, I was little disappointed, it's hard to explain, what was bad for me... Maybe I know, this film is just "so czech"... I wanna something new, when I'm watching movies, and that is just "one of many"... But when I saw it second time... Ou, OK, it is good film, really good film, not perfect, not different, just good czech film...

Up and Down has a subtle mix of stories from several strata of modern Czech life. Those who fled the communist takeover, those who stayed and suffered; those who're rising and those mired; those haunted by their past and those who ignore it. Each aspect of the story is given weight and the actors shine in their individual moments. The direction shows a love of the Czech people and republic without shying away from their darker selves.

A Czech co-worker of my spouse said, "I love this movie. And it's completely realistic."

Those who like Mike Leigh will enjoy this film and those who enjoy this film should check out Mr. Leigh's work (perhaps especially "Secrets and Lies).

"Horem pádem", stood up well to a second viewing, from DVD, a year later. I'd agree with the most favorable comments of others here. I'd add that the treatment of immigration, nativity, nationalism and personal identify, as it intersects with 4 fractured families, is witty, tender, and humane. Even some of the native criminal class gets an opportunity to make claims for justice, even if the latter is satirized.

Did anyone mention the exceptional use of music, and how imaginatively the film is lit and shot? A team of artists at the top of its game collaborated on this film.