i really like this movie . but the ad i saw imply and and one publish review actually say and that this movie benefit from a light touch . that to me be very misleading . there be indeed plenty of humor represent eccentric and un subtle and sometimes somewhat twisted humor represent the kind of humor i generally find very appeal indeed . but most of the humor be the kind that appear conscious at all time of thing deeply serious and deeply sensitive and even deeply painful . the movie weave together theme of past and present and perception and truth and memory and activity and life and death . the entire movie be suffuse by the history of european anti semiticism in general and and of the holocaust in particular . how can humor and horror be combine in the same movie . the review i saw suggest that the humor be absurdist . i do not think this be the case at all while at least not in the common sense . instead and i think this movie stand in the tradition of much jewish or yiddish literature and theatre . i do not claim to be any kind of expert in this area while but from what i have see and humor be use and in this cultural context and both a a cop tool for the horribly tragic experience of this people while and also humor be use a a mean of recover the divine for men and woman who choose a path of faith rather than a path of either despair or absurdism . see fiddler on the roof for humor use in both way in this rich tradition . elijah wood ( jonathon ) wood wear horn rim glass that really make him look and well and strange represent compare sin city when he wear the same kind of glass with chill effect . in this movie and it easy to see how the glass become a metaphor for both his search and for his struggle between perception and truth . eugene hutz ( young alex ) and boris lesking ( old alex ) be both really just wonderful . jonathon and young alex be from the same generation and yet seem so very and very different while and then find that they be not so different after all . and the way in which the apparent narrative voice change gradually from that of jonathon to that of young alex . a a journey of intended discovery for jonathon become one of discovery for both young alex and old alex . be to me so very move . there be some wonderful scene and panorama from ( i be tell ) prague and environs and stand in for the ukraine of the story line . all feel very authentic and seem to give a wonderful sense of place while although i have never be myself to the ukraine and can hardly testify to this from first hand experience . all in all and if youre look for light comedy and i would not recommend this movie at all . on the other hand and if you be interested in a wonderful and delightful and and deeply move film and please and check out this wonderful movie .