Rivers of Babylon (1998)

Dark satire about bare-knuckled capitalism in the immediate post-Cold War era. Set just as the Communist government is collapsing, the film focuses on the brutish Racz, the handyman in a Bratislava hotel. Knowing that his job is insured for life, Racz turns off the building's heat and demands food, money, and sex to have it restored. The film is narrated by a pimp named Urban who explains that people in the former Czechoslovakia were so used to being abused that they simply put up with Racz's corruption. By the end of the film, Racz's fortunes have changed considerably. Instead of being a lowly worker, he is now a ruthless and wealthy businessman, unafraid to kill or kidnap those who get in his way.

Released

1998-04-23

Genres

Comedy, Drama

Runtime

102 min

Status

Released

Directed / written by

Vladimír Balco, Peter Pišťanek, Vladimír Balco, Marian Urban

TMDB rating

4.5/10 from 5 votes