Customer Reviews

Kto Nigdy Nie Zyl... [Region 2]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Who Never Lived (Kto Nigdy Nie Zyl...) is a powerful drama about a Catholic priest who has AIDS. Father Jan (Michal Zebrowski) works closely with drug-addicted youth and devotes his time helping them. Near the beginning of the film Father Jan gives a funeral sermon in which he strongly condemns drugs but reminds the audience that God forgives. He also makes a statement about "he who never lived" which echoes throughout the movie as a description of Father Jan himself. He didn't do drugs or have sex but he soon finds out that he has AIDS.

After the stage is set with the above, I think there is two significant phases to the film. For rest and soul searching, Father Jan goes to a monastery. Within the walls there, he is largely protected from the outside world. He learns new things, as do others from him, albeit probably not any major lessons. This is contrasted with the next phase, which takes place outside the monastery, where the "man who never lived" is faced with the temptations of the world. To save you the suspense, I will not get into any more details but will say the story builds and gets more intense as it progresses.

Who Never Lived is directed by Andrzej Seweryn. Seweryn is famous for being an actor and this is his directorial debut. The story is shocking because you do not expect a priest to have AIDS but this movie is based on a true story. The account of Father Jan presented in the movie is mostly his simple daily living and how others react to him, and Zebrowski does a great job acting in this tough role. The movie might not have any big revelation for its viewers but it may make us pause for a moment and think.