This is a nice contribution to Estonian cinema.
In general, I find the Estonian genre of filmmaking to be less about heroism, incredible journeys and happy endings, and more about perceiving life - and this film is no exception. Here we find the protagonist to be a boy coming of age in Võromaa in the late Brezhnev period. It is a bit of a bleak setting, not because of any singular catastrophe, but rather the cumulative outcome of dull monotony interspersed with petty dramas. We see in some ways the unfairness of a cold and insular place, but also the simple joy and honest humour of everyday life. A big theme for me is the clash of an inner warm and gentle caring against a zeitgeist of tedium and pettiness, which of course is a microcosm of this time and place.
From an editorial perspective, I thought the pace was quite good. They managed to portray a general slowness and non-excitement while keeping the viewer engaged; the scenes were not allowed to drag on excessively and felt illuminating without seeming instrumentalized. The characters are all quite believable and each has their own personality, strengths and flaws.
This genre of film is not about imposing a particular morality, as such, and more about reflecting inwardly on familiarities and curiosities, and about getting to know a certain time and place, its mood, character and spirit.
