U snedeného krámu: When loneliness makes you an easy target

Is this for you?

If you like movies that treat human desperation like a punchline, you’ll probably get a kick out of U snedeného krámu. It’s not for the folks who need a hero to root for or a happy ending to tuck them in at night. If you’ve ever felt that pit in your stomach when someone is clearly taking advantage of you, this one is going to feel a bit too real.

The story isn't trying to be profound. It’s just showing how a man’s own ego can blind him to the fact that he is being fleeced. You watch him walk right into the trap, and honestly, it’s frustrating. It reminded me a bit of the social maneuvering you see in My Husband's Wives, though the tone here is much more localized and dusty.

The neighbors from hell

The mother-daughter duo running the scam are fascinating. They don't have to do much to pull the wool over our lead's eyes. He is doing all the heavy lifting himself by ignoring the obvious red flags. There is this one scene in the shop where the lighting is so dim you can barely see the expressions, but you don't need to see them to know exactly what’s happening.

It’s awkward. The way he tries to play it cool while being completely out of his depth is just painful. You want to reach through the screen and tell him to just walk away.

• The pacing is a bit uneven, but it works for a story about someone stalling their own life.
• The background characters seem like they are just waiting for the bus half the time.
• The dialogue isn't flowery, just blunt and transactional.

I caught myself thinking about The Ace of Spades while watching this, mainly because of the way characters gamble with things they can't afford to lose. Here, the currency is dignity, and our guy is flat broke.

There is a specific moment where he offers a small gift that he clearly can't afford, and the camera lingers on his hand for just a second too long. It’s a tiny, heartbreaking detail. Most movies would have skipped that and moved straight to the next plot point. I’m glad this one didn't.

It isn’t a masterpiece, and it’s definitely not for everyone. But if you appreciate a movie that just sits in the mess of being lonely and foolish, give it a go. Just don't expect to leave feeling better about humanity.