Ostrým nožom

Um drama que o atrai com a sua história perturbadora inspirada por acontecimentos reais, em vez da sofisticação do argumento ou da forma do tratamento (o argumento foi mais criativo no filme eslovaco semelhante Let There Be Light). E com um bom elenco e atuações de interpretação. A maior fraqueza que vejo é o processo judicial retratado de forma simplista, que deveria ter sido o ponto alto do filme — também no sentido emocional. Mas é muito bom que se façam filmes sobre estes acontecimentos na Eslováquia. Serão um testemunho importante para as gerações futuras de eslovacos quando o país mudar para melhor. (15/11/2020)

Apart from the final trial, which smacks of absurdity at times, By a Sharp Knife feels very realistic. Only it's all a bit tired. I can't shake the impression that a more talented and experienced director could have turned the strong subject into a truly worthwhile film. (65%) (17/04/2021)

Slovakia is a ridiculous country if it is incapable of not convicting four killers who obviously murdered a man on public record and their actions cannot be denied, but they still won't convict them on the basis of withholding evidence or other legal contortions. The acting is unconvincing, the trial, on which similar foreign films build most of their success, is dealt with in a few minutes, and the rest is more or less a family drama about the loss of a son that isn't entirely badly presented, but it's long, drawn out and points out the corruption and unwillingness of the judicial system far too blatantly and unbelievably. If they had kept things a bit more down to earth, just hinting at this idea more lightly, and let our mind wander, they would have done better. I'm not quite the target audience, and I watched the film out of curiosity, but I still wouldn't objectively classify it as more than average. (20/11/2020)