An unjustly imprisoned man is released after serving 3 years, in Communist Poland of the mid 1970s. He only wants peace, and the most normal life imaginable: work, a wife, kids, and a simple home of his own. But above all, peace.
As he is introduced into the Socialist society of the time, he soon discovers peace is not an easy goal; perhaps not even attainable in that society. The film shows outdated lifestyles, and scenes which would be considered kitsch by today's standards. The whole scenario showing us the conflicts to attain peace is totally outdated.
However, it is a little known, controversial (in its time) film by a great deceased director - reason enough to see it. And the conflicts faced to achieve peace are all completely different to those faced now, in the new order. Some are obsolete; such as the strict controls on one's movements in Communist times, the puritan ideals of sex and marriage, the machismo and submission to it by all women shown, the excessive vodka drinking (literally until you drop) and smoking anywhere and everywhere.
But, the conflict between balancing one's relationship with the boss on one side, and colleagues on the other, is still basically the same, whether it's in the communist system or in the capitalist system. Still, I think it's much easier now to avoid the conflicts and achieve some peace, as long as you lower your expectations.
That's why many viewers may not understand the film, or they understand but find it's a waste of time to see all this which they already know or lived through, rehashed once again. It's a Kiezlowski film, yes. But you won't find anything new, unknown or unrevealed about Kiezlowski in it. It's not for everybody who might think it's for them.
