Kowasaki's Rose

A documentary on Czech psychiatrist Pavel Josek.

Jan Hrebejk’s uneven and oddly edited feature combines a vibrant family drama with light comedy. It’s a rumination on modern Czech life that reminds the audience that the present can never outrun the past. A documentary crew follows Pavel, an esteemed psychiatrist who’s about to be honored with a national award for his former dissident activism during the days of Communist rule, but some darker truths lurk in his past, and they put everyone’s identity in question. A morality tale that frustrates as much as it enthralls. (Czech, 100 min.) Erik McClanahan. 2 1/2 out of 4 stars