In Operation Nation or Kryptonim Polska, Staszek, a member of a radical right-wing group, begins a relationship with a left-wing activist. The Polish comedy film is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
Staszek (Maciej Musialowski) is stuck at an underwhelming job and his boss never gives him a permanent role or even a contract for job security.
His cousin, Roman (Boris Szyc), is the head of a far-right group called the Radical Youth Society (RYS). Roman recently escaped trial without charges after trying to celebrate Hitler’s birthday.
Realising that Staszek is unsure about his job, he recruits him into the RYS, but he does not believe in their ideology.
Nonetheless, he sticks to the group and tries to fit in, carrying out whatever job they ask him to do. One of these tasks leads him to meet Pola (Magdalena Mascianica).
He and Pola hit it off from the moment they meet and start dating. One small problem; Pola is a left-wing activist and does not know about Staszek’s role in the RYS.
Staszek tries to keep this a secret from her but slowly starts to question his own decisions. Will he stick to RYS or realise his mistake?
Performances
Musialowski and Szyc are the highlights in terms of performances as the two cousins who are central to the narrative.
Roman is stubborn and authoritative, while Staszek is meek and fickle. The characters perfectly act as foils to each other and the two actors nail these roles. Mascianica also impresses as the Pola, who stirs the realisation of his decisions in Staszek.
Positives
Operation: Nation is a satirical portrayal of far-right groups. The RYS is a caricature of the oblivious members of such groups who still believe in orthodox ideologies.
The humour in the film is subtle but sharp. Some of the one-liners are so clever and punchy, and the actors land them well. This makes it an entertaining watch that is never dull. The dialogues are well-written and complement the premise of the film.
It is actually a scathing commentary against the homophobia and racism prevalent in extremists that threaten the peaceful existence of many.
The film wittily criticises this without ever needing to resort to direct reprimanding.
Negatives
Some characters are left in the peripheral after their introduction. Staszek’s roommate, as well as his parents, could have played a bigger part in the narrative.
Similarly, Pola’s character had the potential to be more fleshed out. The film majorly focuses on Roman and Staszek, but considering the role of Pola in the narrative, she isn’t paid enough attention.
Verdict
Operation: Nation is a decent film that comments on important issues in society with clever humour. If satire is your cup of tea, this is definitely one to watch.
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