Sluchaynye passazhiry

Life is an unpredictable thing. The main hero of this movie - truck driver Ivan Zhaplov fully experienced that on himself. One decision to stop by the broken truck on the way home changed his whole life. As many movies from the Soviet era, this also shows the life of the working class heroes. Their problems and characters are close and relatable.

Looking on the choice of actor from the 2019 perspective, it looks almost ironic to see Vladimir Gostyukhin as a truck driver, knowing that one of his most memorable roles came later in a similar character in the early 2000's TV Series Truck Drivers. However, Gostyukhin fits this role perfectly. A bit rough, hot-tempered, but overall - a good-hearted man, who was caught in a difficult situation.

Do not expect a high quality picture in visual terms. It has some nice and atmospheric views of the Soviet provincial life, but this was not a high budget movie and the films used in such type of movies often lacked quality. Nevertheless, it fits the late 70's mood and most of Soviet movies are beloved for their idea and talented actor's performance, not the visual effects.