The final stretch of the film

Before the final half hour, the film was deftly exploring side by side the political developments (with their impact on the characters’ lives) and the developments in Tomas and Tereza's relationship. In the latter department, the story arrives at the point at which Tereza decides to try detached sexual encounters of her own, to try to embrace Tomas's philosophy of free love. She fails at the attempt.

But then a strange thing happens. The movie completely neglects the issues in Tomas and Tereza’s relationship - issues that it set up and developed up to that point. They are never brought up again. Instead, the political factors alone drive the rest of the story: Tereza is afraid her encounter with the engineer will be used against her politically; she and Tomas can’t leave the country, so they move to the countryside, where they find happiness. How were the complications of their opposing philosophies (of lightness and heaviness) resolved? Did Tereza accept Tomas and his womanising as he is? Did Tomas change for Tereza? The movie is suddenly completely uninterested in these questions, as if it never brought them up. As a result, the final 30 minutes feel out of touch with what came before.

Did anyone feel that way?