Charlatan

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1:58

Charlatan

2021

1h 58m

Drama

History

Biography

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

39 Reviews

47%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Few true stories tread the thin line between good and evil as precariously as that of Jan Mikolášek, a 20th century Czech herbal healer whose great success masked the grimmest of secrets. Mikolášek won fame and fortune treating celebrities of the interwar, Nazi, and Communist eras with his uncanny knack for "urinary diagnosis". But his passion for healing welled up form the same source as a lust for cruelty, sadism, and an incapacity for love that only one person could ever quell -- his assistant, František. As a show trial threatens to pry open these secrets and undo him, Jan's dichotomies are put to a final test, with the fate of his life's only love in the balance. A personal tale as replete with twists as the century itself, and a reflection on the price one pays for single-mindedly following one's calling.

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Critics Consensus

Charlatan's slightly dry approach is offset by unique filmmaking flourishes and a fascinating story that make this an engaging, albeit unusual, biopic.

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Carmen Gray

Sight & Sound

May 28, 2026

There is little levity or inventive flair in this handsomely shot portrait of totalitarian malady, but it builds to a devastating close.

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Michael Ordoña

Los Angeles Times

Jul 23, 2021

Holland... deftly moves the story through its present and past and elicits understated performances throughout the entire cast, all without excessive sentimentality.

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Lena Wilson

New York Times

Jul 22, 2021

Often as thorny as its subject but also oddly fascinated by his near-magical abilities, "Charlatan" is a temporary cure for the common biopic.

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Carlos Bonfil

La Jornada

May 28, 2025

In an era like the present, where new authoritarian powers...attack in turn against uncomfortable scientific research, against wokism or any sexual discord, a film like Charlatan reveals great political significance. [Full review in Spanish]

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Feb 17, 2025

5/10

As a biographical drama, it examines the ethical ambiguity and power of alternative medicine, yet what could have been a complex study becomes a scattered narrative, often marred by erratic direction from Holland. [Full review in Spanish]

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Francesca Steele

iNews.co.uk

Dec 10, 2024

3/5

This is a confused but intriguing character study, and an even-handed look at our perceptions of alternative medicine.

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Agnieszka Holland

Director

Joachim Paul Assböck

Fritz Kiesewetter

Jan Vlasák

Actor

Ivan Trojan

Jan Mikolásek

Jana Kvantiková

Frantisek's wife

Claudia Vaseková

Interpreter

Charlatan: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Few true stories tread the thin line between good and evil as precariously as that of Jan Mikolášek, a 20th century Czech herbal healer whose great success masked the grimmest of secrets. Mikolášek won fame and fortune treating celebrities of the interwar, Nazi, and Communist eras with his uncanny knack for "urinary diagnosis". But his passion for healing welled up form the same source as a lust for cruelty, sadism, and an incapacity for love that only one person could ever quell -- his assistant, František. As a show trial threatens to pry open these secrets and undo him, Jan's dichotomies are put to a final test, with the fate of his life's only love in the balance. A personal tale as replete with twists as the century itself, and a reflection on the price one pays for single-mindedly following one's calling.

Director: Agnieszka Holland
Producer: Kevan Van Thompson, Sarka Cimbalova
Screenwriter: Marek Epstein
Distributor: Strand Releasing
Genre: Drama, History, Biography, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Czech
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 23, 2021, Limited
Runtime: 1h 58m

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