★★★½☆
Martina Buchelová makes their directorial debut with Lover Not A Fighter, a love story that is oddly paced, scattered, and all over the place. Yet engaging and interesting, it is a character-driven narrative with a messy story structure.
Martina Buchelová’s vision feels clear in some aspects while uncertain in others.
The film opens with cinematography shot on a phone. There are moments presented in a selfie-video format, offering an interesting introduction to who will become the film’s main characters. Accompanied by a fantastic score that elevates the scene, the opening quickly establishes the film’s personality.
The visual style of the film is loose and flowing for the most part, using the cinematography to convey a strong representation of the film’s free-flowing tone.
From the pacing of the film to the script’s structure, there isn’t much sense of uniformity, which the cinematography visually complements.
The script has an interesting concept of formatting, breaking the film up into chapters and using that structure as a reason or opportunity to change the story’s focus.Which is where the film’s first problem lies.
“The story feels unbalanced and unfocused between the second and third acts when the narrative shifts to focus on the sister.”
The story feels unbalanced and unfocused between the second and third acts when the narrative shifts to focus on the sister.
Something that feels unnecessary and takes away from the core story.
While the family drama is a focus of the characters’ arcs, especially the issues with the father, the switch in focus distracts instead of builds.
An argument could be made that the film is trying to convey a narrative about love itself, rather than merely the love story of its main protagonists.
For there are moments in which it appears that this is the story arc the film is pursuing, something akin to Love Actually, but on a much smaller scale.
Having the story revolve around two couples instead of dozens makes the narrative feel unbalanced rather than equally split.
“Adam Kubala and Michaela Kostkova give astonishing performances that truly carry the film.”
Adam Kubala and Michaela Kostkova give astonishing performances that truly carry the film. They embody their characters with a natural chemistry that makes the relationship feel authentic, even when the narrative itself begins to wander. Kubala captures the uncertainty and emotional immaturity of Andrej, while Kostkova provides the film with a grounded emotional center. Together, they create a believable dynamic that keeps the audience invested through the film’s more uneven moments.
The supporting cast also contributes to the film’s emotional texture, particularly during the family-focused sequences. While these moments help establish the environment surrounding the central relationship, they often feel more compelling as individual scenes than as pieces of the larger narrative. As a result, the film occasionally struggles to maintain momentum as it shifts between storylines.
Despite its structural shortcomings, Lover Not A Fighter remains an engaging directorial debut. Martina Buchelová demonstrates a strong eye for visual storytelling and an ability to create believable, emotionally complex characters. Although the film’s ambition ultimately exceeds the discipline of its screenplay, the performances and distinctive style make it a worthwhile exploration of modern relationships and the different forms love can take.
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