Kontroll (2004)

81% of critics liked it
(64 reviews)
88% of users liked it
(7,554 ratings)

For his feature debut, L.A.-born Hungary resident Nimród Antal made Kontroll, a farcical look at the Budapest subway system, about the crazy ticket agents who earn their living there and the hostile citizens they deal with on a daily basis. At the center of it all is Bulcsú (Sándor Csányi), a quiet… More For his feature debut, L.A.-born Hungary resident Nimród Antal made Kontroll, a farcical look at the Budapest subway system, about the crazy ticket agents who earn their living there and the hostile citizens they deal with on a daily basis. At the center of it all is Bulcsú (Sándor Csányi), a quiet fellow who leads his ragtag crew that includes the Professor (Zoltán Mucsi), the nagging, burned-out elder of the group; Muki (Csaba Pindroch), the goofy narcoleptic; the disheveled Lecsó (Sándor Badár); and the naïvely gung-ho new guy, Tibi (Zsolt Nagy). Bulcsú and his guys can't compete with the likes of Gonzó's (Balázs Mihályfi) top-notch crew, who gets all the perks and the best assignments. They're more concerned with just getting through each day in one piece, and it isn't always easy. In addition to the annoyed riders who bicker over having to show their tickets and passes, there's Bootsie (Bence Mátyássy), an energetic young man who plays pranks on the agents and runs very fast, and Sofie (Eszter Balla), the odd young woman who shows up on the train in a bear costume everyday and never pays her fare. Worst of all, there's a dark and mysterious figure who's been pushing unsuspecting riders in front of oncoming trains with predictably grisly results. His superiors begin to suspect Bulcsú when they realize he's been living in the system, spending his nights sleeping on the platforms, and never venturing above ground. Kontroll won Le Prix de la Jeunesse at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. It was also selected by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art for inclusion in the 2005 edition of New Directors/New Films. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Nimród Antal
Written By: Nimród Antal
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Apr 1, 2005 Limited
On DVD: Aug 30, 2005
Studio: ThinkFilm Inc.

Critic Reviews

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post
You don't need a deep, dark forest to tell an unsettling fable about the struggle for freedom or the battles waged between the shadows and the things that glow.
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic
As a group of episodes, the movie keeps our interest not by linear plot, but by finely drawn characterizations.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Singular in its location and singular in mood.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Kontroll is the first work by a director who is clearly gifted and who has found a way to make a full-bore action movie on a limited budget.
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
You won't forget it soon, though it may give you at least some qualms about using the subway, especially if you're ever in Budapest.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
Visually stylish surrealist drama.
Bruce Feld, Film Journal International
Even though we spend the entire film underground, Hungary has never looked more buoyant.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Though the film is crowd-pleasing enjoyable, it never fully brings in enough light to its underground setting to completely satisfy as a fully realized work.
Steve Schneider, Orlando Weekly
[A] nimble dark comedy.
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
This is supremely confident filmmaking for a newcomer, and should give Antal a one-way ticket to bigger things.
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
Antal proudly wears Tarantino influences, lingering in humorous conversations that race out on tangents, adding flavor to characters while also subtly developing themes.
Michele Kenner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Antal has a bright future.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Os personagens e o próprio conceito do filme são interessantes, mas o fraco roteiro acaba desperdiçando o potencial do projeto e a boa direção do estreante Antal.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
The constant gear-changing -- or tonal shifts -- may put some audience members off a bit. But it also has style to burn, and most of the cast is appealing, especially the brooding Csanyi, and Balla, whose sunny presence brightens up the dark proceedings.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
Writer-director Nimrod Antal shifts from breakneck action to thoughtful romance ..., as he reveals a colorful and chaotic underground.

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Aaron N

"No Ticket" Solid film about a crew of subway control officers working in the underworld that is the Budapest subway system. The film works as a dark comedy and very gritty thriller. As mentioned, the film is set entirely within the Budapest subway system. Our main… More
"No Ticket" Solid film about a crew of subway control officers working in the underworld that is the Budapest subway system. The film works as a dark comedy and very gritty thriller. As mentioned, the film is set entirely within the Budapest subway system. Our main characters are a team of control officers, responsible for checking the tickets for every subway train passenger, due to the subway working by way of the honor system. The lead role belongs to Sándor Csányi, who plays Bulcsu, a man that has been down, underground for way too long. Bulcsu manages to meet a woman, have gritty adventures with his fellow workers, and spend time with an old train diver. While the plot is somewhat episodic, there is the matter of a hooded figure, who is pushing people onto the tracks. The film was directed by Nimrod Antal, a Hungarian, who has since made a couple simple thrillers, Vacancy and Armored, and is currently working on the Robert Rodriguez produced Predators film. I mention Rodriguez, because Antal strikes me as a guy who works very much like him. His films are low budget, efficiently made, and manage to have a slick feel; delivering a lot with a little. This film is no different, working in one location and making the most with it. There is a good amount of creativity at play here, and I enjoyed it. Szofi: [at subway vending machines] Nice place. Come here often? Bulcsú: Only when I really want to impress a girl.
Greg S

A crew of borderline-incompetent subway cops ('Kontrollers') deal with abusive commuters, a rash of apparent suicides, and dense symbolism. Shot entirely in the Budapest subway, this accomplished debut mixes elements of comedy, romance, thrillers, and obscure arthouse… More
A crew of borderline-incompetent subway cops ('Kontrollers') deal with abusive commuters, a rash of apparent suicides, and dense symbolism. Shot entirely in the Budapest subway, this accomplished debut mixes elements of comedy, romance, thrillers, and obscure arthouse allegory into a narrative that, against all odds, works.
Stella D

dark dark dark and funny low budget thriller set in the budapest underground with a host of oddball characters. i really enjoyed this
E.J. B

The setting feels more like a nightclub than a subway system. Cool scenes and music score, but the film tries to combine one too many genres to really grab hold of an audience.
Robert C

Interesting, funny, thought provoking, all in all an exceptional and enjoyable film.
Gordon A

Eerie underground settings help this droll melancholic tale of unloved ticket inspectors, along with an eclectic score and the obvious affection the director has for society's outsiders.
Tsubaki S

Nice little film with a good balance of humour and thrills. While it has plenty of "strange quirky" characters, these have a dark edge, and never get too anoying or too silly. A shame that the director already got ate by the Hollywood machinery to do crappy and forgettable… More
Nice little film with a good balance of humour and thrills. While it has plenty of "strange quirky" characters, these have a dark edge, and never get too anoying or too silly. A shame that the director already got ate by the Hollywood machinery to do crappy and forgettable stuff.
Arash X

Stylish, Entirely shot in Budapest subway, this movie is highly symbolic. The whole theme is not something original but Kontroll is definitely one of the bests of it's kind, A great debut.
Lanning :

There's no such thing as a free ride on the Budapest subway system, and employees like Sándor Csányi's character, Bulcsú, are there to try to make as sure of that as they can. This film took me by great surprise. It is nearly heavy handed in its allegorical intention, but… More
There's no such thing as a free ride on the Budapest subway system, and employees like Sándor Csányi's character, Bulcsú, are there to try to make as sure of that as they can. This film took me by great surprise. It is nearly heavy handed in its allegorical intention, but it does not, happily, cross that line. Csányi is someone I've not seen before, but he is definitely worth looking for. The mix of murder, mystery, and the mundane of just trying to do your job all mix well with what is a very good love story. Love, it turns out, can lead you out of the depths and into the sunny world above ground. Who woulda thunk it : )
Emily A

This movie amazed me. If you've ever had a job where you had to clash with the public, even a little but, you can understand the ordeal that the Budapest subway Kontrollers have to go through every day. All the characters are really beleivable and this movie delivers comedy,… More
This movie amazed me. If you've ever had a job where you had to clash with the public, even a little but, you can understand the ordeal that the Budapest subway Kontrollers have to go through every day. All the characters are really beleivable and this movie delivers comedy, drama and thrills with equal effectiveness. This film is a hidden gem, one that's a great pleasure to find.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"Kontroll" is about a group of motley ticket control officers in the Budapest subway. This is not the healthiest of professions - one character wakes up with a bleeding nose on a subway platform and another collapses into his fries in the opening… More
[font=Century Gothic]"Kontroll" is about a group of motley ticket control officers in the Budapest subway. This is not the healthiest of professions - one character wakes up with a bleeding nose on a subway platform and another collapses into his fries in the opening minutes of the movie.(And the psychiatrist position does not look that appealing either.) Considering how bad this job is - continuously dealing with surly and insane riders - it is surprising that they can get anybody to do it at all. On top of all this, there is a serial killer pushing people in front of trains. And what's up with the woman wearing the bear costume?[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Kontroll" is an enjoyable movie full of black comedy but it is never bleak. It starts off weakly but gains momentum as it moves along. I especially liked how the underground was photgraphed.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]If, heaven forbid, New York City should get the 2012 Olympics, then I think "railing" should become an Olympic sport.[/font]
Duncan R

Pretty freakin' kewl... I'll write a review when I get to see it again.
Marion R

I really liked this film. This is right up my alley, it was gritty, funny, entertaining.
FanGirl B

Very slick and stylish. An interesting and very well made film.