Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases


The Contract (1980)

Director: Krzysztof Zanussi

Average user rating
No reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Written and directed by Zanussi for Polish TV, though with production values hardly inferior to those prevalent in the country's cinema output, The Contract has a premise just this side of absurdism: a bride has second thoughts at the altar and dashes from the church, leaving the assembled guests to celebrate as if the wedding had taken place. The resulting party, which occupies most of the film's running time, has more than its share of drunken and embarrassing moments, sexual indiscretions and revelations culminating in the discovery that one of the guests has been pilfering from the others' purses and handbags, all of which Zanussi orchestrates with considerable skill to tragi-comic effect. An illumination of the kind of telling details about contemporary Poland, in fact, that one can hardly begin to glean from newspaper and television reports.

Author: RM

Time Out Film Guide


What do you think?
Post your review now

clear rating
Min 1 star. Zero stars will be treated as unrated.

*mandatory fields





Top Stories

Ridley Scott interview

Ridley Scott interview

Director Ridley Scott tells Cath Clarke why he's making a science fiction comeback

Cannes Film Festival 2012: half-time report

Cannes Film Festival 2012: half-time report

Dave Calhoun reports on the hits, misses and a shocking new masterpiece from Michael Haneke

Wes Anderson interview

Wes Anderson interview

Cath Clarke talks to the director of Cannes's opening film

Open-air movies in London

Open-air movies in London

Cath Clarke rounds up this summer's crop of outdoor film screenings

The 100 best French films

The 100 best French films

In honour of Cannes, we reveal the best French films of all time

Ken Loach interview

Ken Loach interview

Ken Loach talks to us about his Cannes Film Festival entry 'The Angels' Share'