Anita v ráji: A charming, silly mess from a different era

Is it worth your time?

If you have a soft spot for 1930s romantic comedies where everyone is always just one mistaken identity away from chaos, you’ll probably get a kick out of Anita v ráji. It's light, it's breezy, and it doesn't try to solve the world's problems. If you need something gritty or heavy, look elsewhere—you’ll hate the predictability of it all.

There's something inherently funny about Truda Grosslichtová’s character deciding that the best way to learn how to run a fashion empire is to lie on a job application. She just steals a recommendation letter! It’s such a bold, weirdly entitled move for a heroine, but she pulls it off with enough charm that you stop questioning the ethics of it after about five minutes.

The office dynamics are a highlight, even if they feel like they belong in a cartoon. Watching the manager, Jirí Hosek, juggle his work while accidentally flirting with the woman who technically owns his paycheck is classic stuff. It’s not high art, but the chemistry is there. It’s a bit like watching a less frantic version of Love at First Sight, where the stakes are mostly just 'will they figure it out before the closing credits?'

I found myself zoning out a bit during the scenes with the supporting cast, though. Sometimes the side characters felt like they were in a completely different movie, or maybe just waiting for their cue to walk into the frame. There's this one moment with the Singing Babies that honestly left me scratching my head—I’m still not sure if it was supposed to be adorable or just a bizarre time-filler.

The film doesn't have the same punch as something like Nachtgestalten, but it isn't trying to. It’s a 1934 fashion-house caper, not a crime thriller. It’s got that specific, slightly grainy elegance that makes you wish people still dressed like that for work.

• The fashion choices are honestly better than the plot.
• Truda Grosslichtová is a delight even when the script is being a bit thin.
• The whole 'secret boss' trope is handled with zero realism, which is exactly why it works.
• That one scene in the office where everyone just sort of stops working to stare? A bit awkward.

It isn't a masterpiece, and it definitely feels like it’s padding its runtime in the middle. Still, it’s a nice way to spend an afternoon if you want to turn your brain off and look at some nice vintage outfits. Sometimes that’s enough.