Lovers & Murderers (2004): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2004, Lovers & Murderers is a drama film directed by Viktor Polesný, running about 108 minutes.

What it’s about. Lovers & Murderers is about the ongoing war between those who have and those who want to have what the others have. The have-nots see themselves as poor victims trying to get for themselves what is justly theirs. But when the have-nots become haves, they continue to see themselves as victims of the hordes baying for what is justly theirs, and they have neither the energy nor the security to enjoy what they have obtained. The movie takes place in the microcosm of a small apartment building. The principal goal of the young people who share rooms in the building is to move into their own room and, some day, a real apartment. They scheme to get what they're after: form short-lived alliances, petition, frighten, marry, become pregnant, anything that might work. Lovers & Murderers presents Páral's vision of mankind caught in a cyclical process in which ideology pales before the pettiness, cruelty, and self-justification of human nature.

Who’s in it. Lovers & Murderers stars Jiří Langmajer as Borek Trojan, Ondřej Vetchý as Julda Serafin, Zlata Adamovská as Zita Gráfová and Jakub Prachař as Roman Gráf, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.0/10, Lovers & Murderers has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Lovers & Murderers page.

If you liked it. Fans of Lovers & Murderers tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.