Domalewski tells the story dynamically, embarking on a life-changing journey together with the protagonist. He knows perfectly well that road movies feed off unexpected occurrences, random encounters and turning points. The film is densely encrusted with events, some of them more spectacular, some less so. However, I Never Cry is not as engrossing as Silent Night. Whilst in his debut film all the relationships between characters and turning points were precisely constructed and well balanced, Domalewski's second feature feels like the director lost some of his self-confidence. Plot twists do not appear to really change Ola's story; instead, they feel like tricks that simply have to be in a script because the rules of dramaturgy say so.
Still, Domalewski's picture stands out. The young director proves he found his own area of interest – decaying family bonds and the ability to be set free from their toxic influence. The story of a teenage girl who learns to see her dead father as something more than a foreign ATM is consistent with Domalewski's vision of cinema – a cinema full of emotion and faith in people.
Domalewski is also exceptionally perceptive. Not only does he have a good ear for dialogue, he is also acutely aware of the reality of ordinary people. He creates worlds that feel truthful, and seems to really know his characters. When we watch a teenage girl earning money from an odd job at a car wash, we believe she is real. When she gets on a train coach, there is no doubt that the director has also travelled this way, watching aggressive passengers, unkind drivers and exhausted companions in misfortune. Domalewski proves successful in his realistic depictions of small details of everyday life and employs them to engross his audience in a world that feels authentic – unlike most Polish directors, who usually fall flat in that respect.