Drużyna A(A)

Confronting our personal demons might seem like a scary prospect, but sometimes it’s the most effective way to deal with them – to tackle them head on and get over them, one would hope, once and for all. Such is the case for four recovering alcoholics (Danuta Stenka, Maria Sobocinska, Michal Zurawski, Mikolaj Kubacki) facing the prospect of their treatment center being shut down due to a lack of funds. However, a way out of this dilemma becomes available when one of them (Zurawski) learns of an opportunity to raise quick cash by transporting two tanker truckloads of illegal (and stolen) vodka across Poland to a waiting buyer, payment for which they plan to use for keeping their treatment facility up and running. The question is, can the foursome resist the temptation presented by their cargo in carrying out this dubious task? And, even if so, can they stay ahead of the ruthless mobster (Magdalena Cielecka) whose liquor was pilfered and now wants it back, no matter what the cost? Thus begins the start of an adventure-filled road trip by this ragtag quartet, accompanied by their unwittingly kidnapped therapist (Lukasz Simlat), who’s brought along to help keep them sober and stable during their upcoming journey. In the course of their odyssey, however, the amateur bootleggers come up against the ghosts of their past, the people and circumstances that prompted them to start binging in the first place, challenges that make their ability to resist the temptations around them even greater. Can they succeed under conditions like these? Though billed as a dark comedy, director Daniel Jaroszek’s sophomore effort is more of a drama with comic relief than a raucously funny offering, and, even though the laughs are genuine and well earned, there are so few of them that they almost come across as being out of place. What’s more, the film overall is far too long; its 2:12:00 runtime could have easily been pared back considerably without losing much. In addition, the filmmaker’s mix of moods, filming styles and storytelling devices is so eclectic that it’s often difficult for viewers to determine exactly what kind of vibe he’s going for. This hodgepodge of elements – though skillfully executed individually – just don’t seem like they belong together in the same picture. This raises the possibility that the director is trying to show off what he’s capable of – a page out of the “look, Ma, no hands” school of filmmaking – never minding the fact that continuity is sacrificed in the process. To be sure, “The A(A) Team” reveals a talent with considerable potential but who also has a serious need to settle down and learn when to contain those abilities, especially when it comes to the question of knowing when “to kill one’s darlings.” In all fairness, the picture features some fine performances and cinematography, as well as thoughtful and sensitive treatment of its subject matter, never coming across flippantly, which it easily could have if left in less skillful hands. Nevertheless, the overall production still feels like a filmed version of the first draft of a script concept, and, on that score, it definitely could have used some work to bring the picture up to where it might have been.