Too Old for Fairy Tales is a Polish movie directed by Kristoffer Rus starring Maciej Karas, Amelia Fijalkowska and Patryk Siemek. The screenplay is written by Agnieszka Dabrowska, also the author of the book the movie is based on.
A comedy with a slightly bitter tone, a transition to maturity as well as a funny movie.
Synopsis
Young gamer Waldek sees his plans to compete in a video-game tournament go up in smoke, as he his life drastically takes a turn, and he now has to live under the care of is neurotic aunt. In her eccentricity – with her obsessions and strict rules – she puts Waldek through quite a hassle. Paradoxically though, Waldek’s life will be enriched by this ordeal.
Movie Review
The plot is laden with potential for a good family-friendly comedy. Spoiled, entitled brat, whose world is comprised of not much beyond the virtual reality he is absorbed in via the video games he plays, is in for an abrupt reality check, when his mother falls ill, and he is brought under the care of his eccentric and neurotic, bordering delusional, aunt.
Wow, the contrasts of those two scenarios – the one he goes from and the one he is about to enter. The comedic possibilities are aplenty.
This begs the question: have the film’s creators made the most out of this potential? The answer is “not really”.
Well, we can spare those of you seeking an enthralling piece of art, with radically humorous takes using bizarre camera angles, and dialogues with retorts worthy of being quoted, by announcing that this is not the movie for you – not that we would expect you even to consider it. ‘Too Old for Fairy Tales’ is not it. It is aimed at younger or perhaps a complacent older audience, seeking to kill time amid a heatwave.
The best sequence: the aunt surfing!
If you have seen Kristoffer Rus’ first Netflix entry, ‘Into the Wind’ – a sterile version of ‘Dirty Dancing’ (1987), where dancing is substituted by kite-surfing, and novelty by a banal formula Netflix seems to be applying with quite some consistency in its movie factory assembly line – you might fear ‘Too Old for Fairy Tales’, is yet another run-of-the-mill, inane production.
Well, if that is the case, you might be in for a slightly pleasant surprise. Granted that in ‘Too Old for Fairy Tales’ Rus does play with the advantage of directing a movie based on the novel written by Agnieszka Dabrowska, who. by the way, also wrote the screenplay for the movie. With that as a foundation – well-defined characters, the storyline with sufficient fluidity, as well as the much-appreciated portrayal of the evolution the characters undergo, which gives the narrative some depth – what is now required is technical savvy, and a good eye for capturing the comedic, and at times dramatic, moments in the appropriate frames, and sequences.
Without much technical nor artistic hoopla, which, let’s be honest, the storyline doesn’t depend on to create a decent narrative, it does have its comedic moments – in a goofy sort of way, but on the whole its tone is very constrained. It does take its chances though, but with difficulty, and it is so oriented to the younger audience that, if you are a little older, you will find it hard to stay engaged in the story for the entire duration of the movie.
‘Too Old for Fairy Tales’ parts from an idea and then develops according to the approach of a product that is prepared for a specific age group and tries to meet the precepts (also in terms of styling) of the emerging Polish film industry (which is in fact emergent, though not artistic and innovative in many cases).
The performances are good. This film can serve as a springboard for Maciej Karas and Amelia Fijalkowska who are funny, know how to act and, above all, give it their all, in all their genuineness.
As for Kristoffer Rus, he does what he can in this his second film for Netflix, and shows signs that he is more versatile as a director than initially thought.
Our Opinion
A quaint little comedy, family-friendly and apt for a broad audience that seeks to idle away time with a feel-good, wholesome, and goofy movie.
Release Date
Monday, July 18, 2022.
Where to Watch Too Old for Fairy Tales
On Netflix.
The Director
Kristoffer Rus
Kristoffer Rus is a filmmaker known for the movies Too Old for Fairy Tales (2022) and Into the Wind (2022).