Crooks

The product demonstration phenomenon is seen by the Czech public as a rather underhand way of making money and, indeed, of spending one’s free time. This emotive documentary captures the stories of several senior citizens who, despite the unfavourable financial climate, keep spending more and more money on overpriced, poor-quality products. The camera manages to gain access to the events themselves, which otherwise essentially remain off-limits to younger people. Even though it’s almost impossible to get behind the scenes to see what these firms are up to, the documentary offers a comprehensive view of the problem, which it examines from a legal, psychological and purely personal point of view. Crooks questions the legality of the retailers’ conduct and the reasons why people continually succumb to the hype. The critical tone of the film is further enhanced through its contrapuntal use of the score, where information on unsavoury gifts of salami is accompanied by strains of Smetana’s symphonic cycle My Country.