Martina Buchelová’s debut feature Lover, Not a Fighter feels almost like scrolling through Instagram Stories and seeing bits and pieces of other people’s existence. Pieced together from fragments of Andrej (Adam Kubala)’s life, this quirky Slovakian entry combines vertical and horizontal video formats with YouTube-sketch-like episodes and funnily insightful voiceovers. Although a love story between two young and confused people lies at its centre, the film is aware of the romantic stereotypes it follows and never dismisses the intensity of young love.
Through a fragmented narrative spanning an unspecified period of time we follow Andrej, a quintessential sad boy, trying to find his place in the world only to lose his way and get caught up in alcohol and parties. He eventually moves in with his grandmother (Jaroslava Pokorná) and his sensitive cousin, Peter (František Beleš), before falling madly in love with Miša (Michaela Kostková), a girl who seems just as witty and quirky as he is. This is what makes them a perfect match in his eyes: he is outgoing and unapologetic, while she is quieter, yet fully present in the relationship. When things fail to unfold as he imagined, Andrej’s world comes crashing down. He finds temporary refuge in an imaginary boyband hiding in his closet, occasionally coming out to offer him a hug or a spontaneous street dance. The film embraces the awkwardness and exaggeration of such a premise, finding humour in the way Andrej builds his own version of reality almost as a defense mechanism.
One thing Lover, Not a Fighter does remarkably well is demonstrate a deep, layered understanding of online culture, choosing to play with its language rather than reduce it to a gimmick or treat it with hostility. The vertically filmed sequences bring us closer to the characters, revealing more of their quirks and personalities. Andrej’s voiceovers, though occasionally forced – particularly in the opening scenes, when he talks about Peter’s guinea pig – offer a glimpse into his mind. They also make the film more accessible without necessarily feeling conventional, providing an efficient way to navigate its many storylines and blend of reality and fantasy.
Although Andrej and Miša’s relationship is fun and exciting, both characters bring some personal baggage into it: Miša’s father is in debt because of his obsession with building an apocalyptic bunker for the entire family, while Andrej’s parents are too preoccupied with their new partners to pay much attention to him. Even with such additional storylines and the introduction of several charming supporting characters, the narrative never feels overcrowded; Buchelová accurately captures the messiness of being in-between, not a teenager anymore, but also not yet a fully-grown and responsible adult. Despite all its fragmentation and playful sense of absurdity, Lover, Not a Fighter feels surprisingly cohesive and almost like a breath of fresh air.
Director: Martina Buchelová
Writer: Martina Buchelová
Cast: Adam Kubala, Michaela Kostková, František Beleš, Mia Sofia Arpášová, Jaroslav Vojtek, Jaroslava Pokorná, Adam Burčík, Marián Mitaš
Running Time: 109 minutes
Country: Slovakia, Czech Republic
Year: 2026
Rating: 4
Carla Pantilie
©FIPRESCI 2026