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Lesser Evil

Name: Lesser Evil
Director: Janusz Morgenstern
Released: 2009
Duration: 110 min

Representation Score

5.8/10

Fair

2009

Director

Janusz Morgenstern

Runtime

110 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Lesser Evil is a socio-political drama centered on the erosion of integrity during a specific historical period in Poland. It excels at critiquing institutional corruption and the moral relativism needed to survive within a restrictive state apparatus. However, the film lacks depth in representing diverse identities. The narrative is heavily focused on male-dominated spheres and does not include LGBTQ+ characters or racial diversity, reflecting the homogeneity of its setting. While it uses disability to advance the plot, the portrayal of mental illness primarily serves the protagonist's development, limiting the complexity of its representation.

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Category Breakdown

Does Lesser Evil have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film focuses on the protagonist's relationships and career goals, but there are no LGBTQ+ characters or discussions about heteronormativity.

How does Lesser Evil portray gender?

Fair

The story revolves around male-dominated environments such as state media and the military. A female character holds institutional power but her role supports the protagonist's personal advancement.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Lesser Evil?

Limited

Set in 1970s Poland, the film reflects the demographic uniformity of that time. It highlights socio-political divisions but does not address racial or ethnic diversity.

How does Lesser Evil represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film deconstructs traditional institutions like state media and psychiatric hospitals. It challenges singular morality by showing a protagonist navigating a corrupt system for personal gain.

Does Lesser Evil include disability representation?

Fair

A schizophrenic writer serves as a central narrative driver and catalyst for the protagonist. While avoiding simple mockery, the character's role can seem like a device for the protagonist's fame.

Present on Screen

Offers a sophisticated critique of institutional corruption and state-sanctioned power.
Challenges traditional heroic narratives through a nuanced look at individual opportunism.
Engages deeply with the moral complexities of the 1970s Polish socio-political landscape.

Limited or Absent

Lacks meaningful representation of LGBTQ+ identities or narratives.
Gender roles are primarily functional and tied to the male protagonist's needs.
Uses disability mainly as a narrative tool for the protagonist's development.

Official Synopsis

There is a writer who in the late 1970s managed to publish a poem in the monthly "Nowy Wyraz". It was enough to become a self-confessed writer whose name began to appear in the state media. The writer takes full advantage of his privileges - he flirts with power, sympathizes with the opposition, and collapses his studies at the same time. He is saved from going to the army by an exalted essayist whose sister is the head of the psychiatric hospital in Tworki. In a psychiatric institution, a writer meets a schizophrenic who writes a novel. After his suicide, the protagonist takes over the draft, which he publishes outside of censorship under his name, thanks to which he gains fame, fame and money. August '80 breaks out....

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