Search - Hijacking Agatha -- Uprowadzenie Agaty on DVD

A roller-coaster romance

Richard J. Brzostek | New England, USA | 06/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Hijacking Agatha" is a roller-coaster romance about an under-aged girl who falls in love at first sight with a charismatic young man, who's just escaped from prison. The girl's father (Jerzy Stuhr) is infuriated with her erratic behavior, which, understandably, becomes her parents' nightmare.

Films occasionally capture the essence of an issue and can serve as an icon for all. "Hijacking Agatha" is a great example of how well film can tell a great story, this one being about a firecracker romance.

But more interestingly, it also realistically portrays Psychiatry and how it is often used -- an institutional control mechanism for people with undesirable behavior. As the parents disapprove of their teenager's romance, one solution is to commit her to a mental hospital. I found the realistic portrayal of Psychiatry very refreshing to experience, rather than the glamorized role it often is given in many films.

"Hijacking Agatha" includes several elements I've found in many Polish films -- it is unpredictable, quite serious, and not as happy a story as many might prefer. I enjoyed this movie's many twists and turns that kept me guessing, the action kept me on my toes, and it's underlining messages are more complicated and thought-provoking than the naive themes I find in many American films.

After watching "Hijacking Agatha," I understand why this popular film has attained "CULT" status in Poland, all the more so as it is reputed to be based on a somewhat sensationalized, yet true life story.
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