Empties

Empties (known in Czech as Vratné lahve) is a 2007 film directed by Jan Svěrák and written by his father Zdeněk Svěrák. Svěrák also stars in the film.^[1] It was released first in the Czech Republic in March 2007. The film is a comedy from the same team which made Kolya.^[2]

Plot

Josef Tkaloun is a teacher at a high school in Prague who cannot control his anger when his pupils misbehave in his poetry class. He quits his job and despite his wife urging him to retire, becomes a cycle courier. After the inevitable accident, he still refuses to stay at home and takes a job in the local Žižkov supermarket. He works behind a counter, taking the used glass beer bottles and empty plastic water bottles, giving a receipt to the customers which they can redeem at the cashier. He begins to flirt with the customers and matchmake both for an old friend and for the man he works with. His own flirtations (and amusingly lurid dreams) almost get him into trouble with his wife, so he resolves to reignite the passion in his marriage by celebrating his wedding anniversary with a hot air balloon ride. As can be expected, things do not go completely to plan.^[3]

Cast

• Zdeněk Svěrák as Josef Tkaloun
• Tatiana Vilhelmová as Helenka, his daughter
• Daniela Kolářová as Eliška Tkalounová
• Jiří Macháček as Landa, his friend

Awards

• Zdeněk Svěrák received a Special Jury Mention for the screenplay at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2007
• The film received the Audience Award at 2007 Ljubljana International Film Festival
• The film received the Gold Dolphin award for Best Film at the Festroia International Film Festival in 2008.

Home media

The DVD was released in October 2007. It includes extra scenes, a photogallery, the storyboard and comics.^[4]

References

External links

• Official website
• Empties at the Internet Movie Database