I have finally reached the conclusion. The tenth and final film of Kieslowski’s epic 10 films about the 10 commandments. A cinematic masterclass if there ever was one. And the film that ended it is a refreshing change of tone from the rest, proving to be more lighthearted and funny, yet equally rich with insight and commentary on human nature. The commandment of the film is “Thou shall not covet thy neighbors goods.” The story follows two distant brothers, both middle-aged, who come together in the wake of their father’s funeral. Their father, who neither of them knew well, turns out to be a well-known stamp collector who left behind a collection of rare stamps worth millions. That’s right…stamps. These stamps provide the basis for the rest of the film as the two brothers drive themselves to extreme measures trying to gain one last stamp for the collection, even going so far as giving a kidney. It’s strange and funny..after all, it’s just stamps. At the start of the film, neither of the two brothers knew the worth of stamps, and by the end, they find themselves giving much of their lives to it. It’s a funny, entertaining, and fascinating way to end such a heavy series of films on a somewhat lighter note.
Overall, the decalogue as a whole is one of the most unique, simple, and profound pieces of film I’ve watched. It feels as if every episode is mythic, providing scenarios I never would’ve dreamed of, but that I don’t doubt has happened to plenty of people worldwide. The connections that Kieslowski makes throughout these films provide a cathartic sort of payoff to those who are paying attention and it makes you feel as if you’re in a fully formed world. At any given point, a random character walking down the street could be the lead of one of the other Decalogue films, almost as if Kieslowski is saying, “look at these people, each one of them has a weird, funny, gross, strange, intimate, heartbreaking struggle.” I hope more people from my generation invest the time into this 10 hour epic because it’s undoubtedly worth it. Genuinely can’t wait to watch these again someday and explore the rest of Kieslowski’s serendipitous work.