This highly preposterous film is a pathetic attempt at recreating the mood and quirckiness of "Ironiya Sudby" (1975). Even the plot is somewhat similar. However, while in "Ironiya Sudby" excellent acting was on par with the intelligent and very tasteful scenario, here, relatively good acting meets a plot that at times seems to have been borrowed from a play written by a 3rd grader. The dialogue appears badly ad-libbed for the most part of the film. The plot-holes are simply astonishing at times (for example, Sofya bequeathing the jewelry to her newly found grand-daughter and NOT to her own daughter with whom she, an invalid, has spent most of her life, or, Sofya sudenly starts walking to no one's awe). I have no idea what effect the directors went for in the slapping scene. I found it shocking and disturbing.
The film's target audience is well-defined, and the main feeling throughout the picture is that of nostalgia. The attempts at symbolism were perhaps the most laughable, of which it will suffice to mention "the boy who lives upstairs" / angel-cupid. The only thing that saves this film from being a total disaster are, perhaps, the three actors. They do a decent job of portraying their implausible characters and Irina Kupchenko is quite charming as Tatyana. Had this film been more thought-out and the plot elaborated on, it would have made a worthy installment into the genres of both romance and comedy of life (i.e. socio-economic Realism); however, standing as it does, it is (ironically) a nostalgic reminiscence of an era of movie-making that has gone by.
The film's target audience is well-defined, and the main feeling throughout the picture is that of nostalgia. The attempts at symbolism were perhaps the most laughable, of which it will suffice to mention "the boy who lives upstairs" / angel-cupid. The only thing that saves this film from being a total disaster are, perhaps, the three actors. They do a decent job of portraying their implausible characters and Irina Kupchenko is quite charming as Tatyana. Had this film been more thought-out and the plot elaborated on, it would have made a worthy installment into the genres of both romance and comedy of life (i.e. socio-economic Realism); however, standing as it does, it is (ironically) a nostalgic reminiscence of an era of movie-making that has gone by.