Decalogue VIII (1989)
Taking on a classic ethical dilemma on whether it sometimes can be justified to tell a lie, but explored through the aftermath of such a decision more than forty years later.
It isn’t as much a question of whether the refusal to tell a lie was right or wrong that is important, but how the two people have lived all these years with it, how they deal with forgiveness, grief and understanding their personal history.
There are all the usual Kieslowski elements with very intimate camerawork, subtle yet expressive acting and cinematography that makes ordinary places in a city look beautiful. Compared to many of the other chapters, this one never really got under my skin and there isn’t a lot of drama going on, so we are left with a more introspective piece of story telling that require the viewer to develop the themes themselves.
Rating: 3.5