Dekalog (1989)
The entire Dekalog becomes more than the sum of its parts. Every installment gave me something to think about, some more than others and some I want to revisit. The stories are not directly connected, though there are a few cameos and references here and there. What combines them all, besides the loose inspiration from the ten commandments, is the depiction of middle class life in an apartment complex in Warsaw. All the ten stories are poetically dramatized but all feel authentic and realistic. It may take place in Poland in the late 80s, but I think there is something universal in the themes explored in all ten episodes.
While it is common knowledge that this series follows the ten commandments, I would urge everyone to not pay too much attention to that. It works as a loose inspiration, in some episodes it is very apparent, in others less so. There is no need to try and look for references to the specific commandment, because each episode has so much more to offer. Don’t let the commandments be a distraction.
Reviews of individual epsiodes
Dekalog I Dekalog II Dekalog III Dekalog IV Dekalog V Dekalog VI Dekalog VII Dekalog VIII Dekalog IX Dekalog X
Rating: 5