For me it was a pleasant surprise. I expected the usual would-be great movie, which television and trailers try to push to the public. But I was wrong.
Soon I noticed that everything is verosimilar, true, original, not the usual fiction written by experts of the expectations of the public. The same can be said about characters, which are far from the usual schemes and masks. You cannot guess the plot as well, it goes its own way.
After watching it, I learned that the plot is authobiographical for the director, a piece of information that is an explanation and a confirmation of my impressions; he is the little boy who comes with his father to spend some weeks by his relatives in the hot summer of the year 1970.
Though the movie is based on dialogues and psychological descriprion of characters, the director is able to keep our interest alive and awake, or he can make it right because of that. We want to know, in fact, how the family is going to settle after the earthquake that has shaken it. The characters have both petty-minded and good sides; they may sometimes say terrible things to each other, but after that there is always an open door to make it up again. I was impressed with the old head of the family, who, as a faithful Soviet man, is unable to accept the emigration of his daughter to Israel. But after the furious argument with her, his Jewish roots and his being a human before a Soviet citizen seem to come to new life inside of him.
I find very intresting the father of the boy as well. He rejects the girl, but not completely, in the illusion of controlling his heart and impulses. But such passions can be won only with a clean-cut, otherwise they overwhelm their victim. The actor who interprets him is very good: some of his sad, helpless, angry, pityful or helpless looks impressed me.
Anyway, all the actors are good; they seem like live characters.
The movie can be included with other films in the group "remembering a summer of my childhood/youth". It is a far memory, but it seems to be still vivid and alive int he heart of the director, as all the memories which leave a mark in us.
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