Johnny on Netflix review: A moving tale of second chance and hope

Johnny is the latest addition to Netflix's promising list of Polish movies. Inspired by the work and life of Priest Jan Adam Kaczkowski, the emotionally heavy drama movie presents the audience with a heartfelt story of a man named Patryk Galewski, who finds hope and happiness in life after being given a second chance by the former.

The screenplay for Johnny was written by Maciej Kraszewski, while the Polish movie was directed by well-known director Daniel Jaroszek. As stated in the official synopsis for the movie, released by Netflix:

"After a court order sends him to work at a hospice, an ex-criminal strikes up a friendship with a compassionate priest who changes his life."

Despite having inconsistent pace and very little dialog, the movie undoubtedly has the power to put a massive impact on the audience's mind through its heartwarming plotline and realistic characters.

While it revolves around the theme of how a second chance can make a huge difference in someone's life, the movie stays away from being preachy.

Disclaimer: This article purely reflects the views of the author, which maybe subjective in nature.

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Polish drama film Johnny: A touching story elevated by impressive acting by lead actors

An intensely woven plotline presented in a subtle but effective way

A still from Johnny (Image Via IMDb)

The Polish movie, Johnny, is about a person's journey to find the true meaning of life. The movie's protagonist Patryk's quest to give life a second chance and simply just try to be a better person through the selfless and careful guidance of a truly noble man, Priest Jan, is beautifully captured in the movie.

The way the movie has been written, it is subtle yet powerful, avoiding excess drama and preachiness. It has also captured the art and simplicity of dying in the most impactful way possible.

Throughout the movie, the audience witnesses several deaths, but in the end, the audience is left with the understanding of how one should care for a person on the verge of death.

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A strong direction, let down a little by inconsistent pacing

A still from Johnny (Image Via IMDb)

Director Daniel Jaroszek has accomplished in capturing the true essence of the story by showcasing things and feelings the way they are supposed to be in real life. The way most of the scenes in the movie have been captured are raw and extremely engaging.

The movie, however, lacks finesse is at its pace. For viewers who are watching the movie for the first time, it will be a bit of an issue to connect and follow up on all the brief storylines. Also, the pacing of the movie is sometimes quite fast and sometimes quite slow, making the first-time watching experience a bit confusing.

Other than that, the movie's direction strikes all the right chords with the strong story.

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Dawid Ogrodnik and Piotr Trojan's gripping performance elevated the entire movie

A still from Johnny (Image Via IMDb)

Dawid Ogrodnik as Jan and Piotr Trojan as Patryk shine bright throughout the movie. Their on-screen presence and chemistry is a treat for the eyes and provides viewers with a sense of calmness and positivity.

The way the two actors communicate throughout the movie is quite heartwarming without being overly dramatic. The scenes where Jan confronts Patryk about the interview or the one where the latter is telling Jan about his baby while he is on the death bed, are extremely engrossing. Thus, the two lead actors' performances are one of the biggest highlights of the movie.

Other actors on the cast list entail Marta Stalmierska as Zaneta, Beata Zygarlicka as Anna, Anna Dymna as Helena Kaczkowska, Joachim Lamza as Roman Zalewski, Grazyna Bulka as Jadwiga and a few others. They have also done a promising job of portraying their respective characters.

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Don't forget to catch Johnny, currently streaming exclusively on Netflix.