Displaying items by tag: Magdalena Boczarska

HOLD TIGHT

Poland, 2022, 6X 45 minutes, Colour.

Magdalena Boczarska, Leszek Lichota, Krysztof Oleksyn, Grzegorz Damiecki.

Directed by Michal Gazda.

Harlan Coban’s novels have been well received critically and are very popular. The film version of one of his novels, Tell No One, was made in France in the early 2000’s.

However, Coban made a contract with Netflix for the filming of many of his novels. Interestingly, most of them have been set outside the original locations in the United States. Many of the stories have been transferred to the United kingdom, there was a French film, a Spanish film, and two Polish. This is one of the Polish series.

The focus here is more local than the international scope of many of the series. The focus is on a family, a strong-minded mother, a laid-back father, the death of a student, drug dealing connections, and the disappearance of their son who was involved with the dead student.

While there is a great deal of attention to the students, their interactions, the drug deals, the investigations, the principal focus is on the mother of the boy who has disappeared, a powerful performance by Magdalena Boczarska.

As expected, there are several strands in the plot, revelations and various unanticipated interconnections between characters. There is also attention to the investigators, manner, scepticism, touches of comedy, but always serious.

And, a satisfying explanation of the intricacies of the plot.

1. The popularity of Harlan Coben novels? Adaptations as television series?
2. The transition of the story to Poland, Warsaw, the atmosphere of the city, the views of the city, 21^st-century and modern, the affluent suburb, the refuge for youngsters – and cover for drug dealing? Police precincts and investigations? The musical score?
3. The focus on Anna, her age, marriage to Michall, their son, their daughter, the protective mother, surveillance on her son’s phone, her husband’s hesitation? The disappearance of her son, her anxieties, desperation? Going to the club, her being beaten up, the rescue, the injuries? The death of Igor? The connection with Adam and his disappearance? Beata and her visits, grief for her son, discussions with Anna? Visit to the site of Igor’s death? The discussions with Paul and his wife, his role as a lawyer, his wife as a counsellor, at the school, the memorial for Igor? Ols and her friendship with Jasmine, Jasmine’s father, sleepovers, the humiliation of Jasmine at school, the teacher, the consequences? Anna and the police investigation, her work, sports, drugs, prescriptions missing, the investigation, arrest? Her continued interventions?
4. Michal, good man, expert, flying and the press conference about the fire? Support of his wife, love for his son, his daughter? Listening to Anna? His interventions, going to the club, the confrontations? The DNA, the impact of finding Adam was not his son, the confrontation with Anna, her explanations, the rape, his disbelief? The further search for Adam, the phone calls? With Paul? Paul suggesting the lawyer, the meetings, the confrontations? The reconciliation with his wife?
5. Adam’s story, his age, going to the club, the manager and her hold over him, the drug distribution, his close friendship with Igor, Igor’s death, the investigation, his disappearance, the false phone calls, his girlfriend and her concern, his being held by the two boys, phones with the Czech connection, the attack on him, his escape, confrontation with the manager of the club, the thugs? His watching his parents? The eventual return, the explanations to his mother, Igor and the stealing of the prescriptions, his proclaiming his innocence, the reconciliation with his girlfriend – his mother’s declaration for protecting him, but the final images of her suspicions?
6. Paul, lawyer, his wife and psychology, friendship, interventions, getting the lawyer, his daughter, demands on her, exasperations? Her love for Adam, at school, the friends, the parties, the drugs, her friend being abducted and tortured, her going to the club, the confrontation, the dangers?
7. The group of young people, the drugs, parties, violence, Guru, the manager, her hold over them, the thugs and their brutality? Holding Adam? His escaping, the consequences? The leader and his father, lawyer, finding out the truth about his son, his connections with the manager of Guru?
8. The shop proprietor, separation from his wife, the humiliation of his daughter at school, confrontation with the teacher, the teacher and his apologies, going to his house, harassing his wife? Revelation that he had hired the abductor, their past together in Afghanistan, his criminal attitude, the young girl, abducting the ex-wife, torturing and killing her, the search for the videos, the abduction of her friend, torture, the police interrogating her husband, her death? The revelation that the proprietor was sending compromising videos to the teacher, his past behaviour, humiliation? His confronting the abductor? The abduction of the young girl, torture, her escape, the pursuit through the railyard? The young woman letting her go?
9. The police investigation, the attitude of the chief investigator, his sayings and their being inappropriate, the range of interviews, the witnesses, the breakthroughs, the subordinate staff and their hostility towards the female officer, his employing her, their working together, the interrogations, clues? His thoroughness? With Anna and her husband? The personalities of the police, the young awkward policeman, his breakthroughs, the interviews, his misinterpretations?
10. The manager at Guru, her control, connections, violence?
11. Igor dead, his presence in the film, the site of his body shape and the candles? His mother? The revelation of the truth?
12. The personal dramas, the interconnections, crime, mysteries, twists?