NO-ONE

This slow thriller written and directed by Vladimir Prudkin and Lev Prudkin reads like a futuristic Cabaret. All the elements for pre WWII Berlin are in place here: the spies, the characters who are constantly performing, the depravity, the helplessness of its participants, shot with an unsympathetic understated metallic reserve.

Taking place on the precipice and then during the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the plot centers around the story of one family, also at war.

"If I lose today, I'll win tomorrow." One of the family members remarks tonelessly playing a game of cards with two women, one his fiance, and the other his Aunt (not by blood) as the world around them collapses.

The crux of the action takes place on the Crimean Peninsula where various members of the family gather in the Chekhovian countryside as the tanks also gather (unseen) on the city streets, one of the most powerful family members remarking in a monotone: "I am incognito."

The cinematography is impeccable, the set design as well, and the acting is strong. Overall the story, couched in metaphor, is almost too understated to be fully satisfying but it builds towards its final destination.

No-One is an art house movie that does a lot of telling versus showing. The tone is set by the long opening narration that could be done with a series of photos and actual footage over the opening credits instead. I wanted to like the movie, but I just couldn't find anyone to root for. Ultimately, I never connected with anyone and couldn't tell if there was supposed to be a main character. At times, the cinematography was visually impactful, but it was inconsistent due to editing.

There were plenty of soliloquies while the actors stared into the camera to simulate experiencing a play. That added a little character to the film, but the dialogue wasn't compelling enough for me to enjoy the trick.

For the characters, there was a lack of growth; no arcs. Everyone does what was expected of them based on their introductions in the movie. The sleazy guy stays sleazy up through the end. The cheater cheats, the spy spies, the killer kills. There is a severe lack of emotion throughout that seems to be on purpose. Unfortunately, it backfires in the viewer not making any connections to the characters. And when the lack of emotion comes to a breaking point, the outbursts seem melodramatic by comparison.

NO-ONE by Lev Prudkin and Vladimir Prudkin stirred up mixed feelings in me when I watched it. First, a warning, if you are uncomfortable with the topics of sexual themes and incest, you should steer clear of the film. Now that we have the warning out of the way, while I did not dislike the film, it was kind of mediocre. It has an extremely slow-moving plot, with long-drawn-out conversations, with the very first one taking close to ten minutes.

On top of that, I did not necessarily care very much for the themes of incest between the two main characters. It made it very difficult for me to understand the film's message fully, but other than the long-drawn-out conversations and incest themes, it was well-created. The camera work is reminiscent of Steven Spielberg, and the soundtrack was fun to listen to. I do think more music could have been implemented to help fill in some of the quiet moments.

Instead of really focusing heavily on the fall of the Soviet Union, though, it focuses a lot more on the affair between two of the main characters. While not necessarily a negative aspect of the film, it would have been great to see the film focus more on the actual events of the collapse rather than just the affair.

Overall though, I give the film a 5/10. It was neither a terrible film that I would not recommend to anyone nor was it really that noteworthy. Part of it is probably the fact that I have never really researched much about the time period in the film, but regardless of that, it can still be an enjoyable film if you enjoy slow-burn dramas.

The film is set against the backdrop of the August 1991 coup d'état. The nephew of a KGB general makes amateur movies with his uncle's wife, and there is no doubt that he is destined for a career as a diplomat.

There are mixed feelings after the film and it leaves you thinking for a while. Maybe not everyone will be able to understand it.

But thanks to one of the main characters, Oleg Sergeyevich.

Who reveals himself in a special way in the film, gives us a chance to think.

He has his own special view of the world - a view from above. He knows everything, what was before, what will be after, he sees the whole world and the whole country at the same time, he understands all the difficulties and is puzzled why people are so picky.

Generations like this are an unforgettable era. They grew up in one country and live in another. The hero of the film is also the kind of person willing to jump from one train to another-imagine him in the 2000s. It's not true that his fate was so glorious that he was able to reach the position of power he has today. As a rule, these are people from the 1990s. Either they became successful oligarchs themselves, or they served these people closely and reliably. They stepped aside and even moved away from the state. But then somebody took a step back.

So for reflection and pondering, I advise to watch It is up to you to decide what you will see in this film for yourself.

This movie is a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's work Othello framed amidst the downfall of the Soviet Union. The beginning of the film was hard to get into as it seemed slow and overdramatic. There are many monologues in this film which makes sense as an adaptation of a play but still they leave me waiting for the long scenes to move on.

As with other Shakespearean adaptions, there are many times where you can feel the struggle of transforming a play into a movie. The story picked up the pace about a third of the way through and I found myself laughing and holding my breath in anticipation during certain scenes. The wife is a compelling character and by the end of the movie I wondered if she was intended to be a metaphor for Russia. The husband's speech to his nephew towards the end about the wonderful nature of his wife and his disgust towards anyone who would use her for their own means held my attention and had me reflecting on this film long after it ended.

Overall, this isn't an incredibly entertaining movie for the general public but I do think it is a great film for certain audiences who can appreciate the modern retelling of an old classic. By the end of the movie I was anxious to learn the fate of the characters. I appreciated the use of foreshadowing that was highly impactful and satisfying at the end. I will probably never watch this film again but I would mention it to anyone I know that enjoys Shakespearean adaptations.