The Guide (2014) User Reviews

Hope for a brilliant future

[maryanapigur-236-350436 · 8/10 · 11 February 2015]

This film is really valuable for me like for thousands other people. Because of its story lines, kobza-player's songs, picturesque Ukrainian nature and incredible mix of emotions like "laughing through crying". "The Guide" for me is a promise for the great future of cinema in my Motherland, because this film is valuable for Ukrainians only, but not for the whole world now. Let me begin from bad side of "The Guide". It's Jamala's unnatural play. She don't live in the film. She is trying to play. And this is the thing, which give opportunity for growing to Oles Sanin and Ukrainian cinema. Then, someone said Grin's play wasn't so good, but it can't be usual or whole-understandable for us, because he is a person from different country and culture both in real life and film. That's all about bad sides. Maybe, its worth to say smth about dialogs, but that which were played by brilliant actors are good and . I am completely sure co-scenes of Stanislav Boklan and Irina Sanina were the best, because of its authenticity and premiere on the "big screen". I should say a big "Thank you!" to Sergii Mihalchuk, who took a picture, and whole film team (I don't really know who should get the biggest appreciation, except of director and actors, of course). Another advantage its shooting in Ukrainian picturesque nature, which takes a heart with it for a long months (I have watched "The Guide" in November, but I still remember that moments of delight by simply watching native landscapes). Year, so many words without mentioning dramatic storyline in this film, which should play, actually, the main role. But for me it isn't smth new, unknown. I can't even imagine how it was. And I'm really stressful-less person, so it hasn't touched me. Only mentioned that it really-really-really and I have a huge reason to live for. Mistake isn't excused. But "The Guide" is still the best and you still should watch it to understand and to move our history on.

A very powerful commentary and an absolute joy to watch.

[ejf2161 · 10/10 · 4 December 2014]

The director is tremendously talented. The style is reminiscent of Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker. Despite the sadness of some of the events, you are immersed in a world of supernatural beauty. The journeys through nature have a ethereal transcendent quality to them. The blindness of a leading character adds to this. The death toll of Stalin's famine was estimated at 7-10 million. This was one of the worst cases of genocide in human history. In this movie your soul feels the weight of this tragedy, but the movie does not dwell on this. It is setting, not the main narrative thrust. Hope and tender moments of compassion fill the screen. When this movie shows tragedy it is ultimately contrasted with a resistance of a human spirit that refuses to die. This movie is also a powerful reminder. The false promises of communism, which merely pretends to be a collectivist philosophy while actually operating more like a mafia, are juxtaposed with the real promises of compassion and love for ones neighbor. We are also shown communist propaganda tactics that mask true intentions and create confusion. Similar spin tactics accompany the war today. This is the film that Ukraine needed to make in response to what is happening to it right now. But it is so much more than that.

An excellent film you will not want to miss

[zkossak · 10/10 · 14 December 2014]

This film's background is the Soviet Ukraine in the 1930s. It is a story of a 10 year old boy who is separated from his American father after the father is assassinated by Soviet NKVD agents for possessing documentation that reveal the atrocities that were being committed by the ruling communist party in Russia/Soviet Union. Millions of people were perishing from the forced famine that the Soviet government enforced to collectivize the farming community. The plot revolves around the boy's attempt to survive in Ukraine and get back to his home in the United States. He is aided by a blind minstrel (Kobzar). The story is a heart wrenching view of life under the Russian/Soviet communist dictatorship. The scenery is beautiful, the plot is mesmerizing and the acting is superb. I give it 10 stars.

ZJ Kossak

The best Ukrainian movie

[IgorBalashov · 10/10 · 29 December 2014]

After creation of Soviet Union the cultures of all nations except Russians were oppressed here. Many cultural figures of Ukraine (writers, poets, scientists, theater and movie directors, actors, painters, musicians, folk artists, etc) undesirable for Soviet regime were executed or exiled to Siberia on the hard physical works, especially during the 1930s (it is known as Executed Renaissance). Among such figures were bandurists, the folk musicians who played on the bandura (Ukrainian folk string instrument) and sign mainly the patriotic sad ballads about cossacks, the Ukrainian steppe warriors of the 15-19 centuries.

Main plot of this movie is a story of a blind wondering bandurist Ivan Kocherga in 1932-1933. Accidentally he gives some help to American boy Peter, whose father was killed by Soviet special services because of some secret documents, and takes him as sighted person – the guide.

Blind bandurist and his young guide are traveling in Eastern Ukraine among the beautiful landscapes and witnessing repressions of Ukrainian people by Soviet regime.

This movie is excellently visualized, which is combined with great music, including numerous Ukrainian folk songs.

It is clearly the best movie about Ukrainian culture since famous "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" (1965) of Sergei Parajanov and definitely the best one that was filmed in independent Ukraine so far.

One of the best Ukrainian movies ever...

[t-kovalets · 10/10 · 1 February 2015]

When I heard about this movie in the first time, sincerely, I was intrigued. Ukrainian film production is surviving sphere, but indeed it can produce GOOD movies, with unexpected, not trivial plot, strong and mysterious characters, dramatic end.

This film has it's soul too. Minstrel's songs, chaotic escaping and changing of epochs in totalitarian empire via pure eyes of ten-year boy...

This film deserves to be watched. Definitely.

P.S. Maybe You don't know, but in real life NKVD chief's surname is Kobzar (minstrel). And. I await the next generation of Ukrainian films: about Kyiv Rus, Zaporozhian Host, epic and big-budget. Soon.

testimony

[Kirpianuscus · 13 March 2018]

A testimony. this is the basic meaning of this admirable film. a blind man. a boy. Ukraine in the "30's. the geography of a world under dictatorship. and great cinematography. it is enough for describe a film escaping from the circle of worlds. because it is not exactly the film of a story. but a bitter remember. about a society. about a gray past. about a blind man. and a boy. in middle of embroidery of symbols.

gd

[syedabbas-52685 · 4/10 · 28 December 2021]

Inematography. It is enough for describe a film escaping from the circle of worlds. Because it is not exactly the film of a story. But a bitter remember. About a society. About a gray past. About a blind man. And a boy. In middle of embroidery of symbols.

Amazing movie portraying the bitter truth about Ukraine's Soviet past.

[chorniycholovichok · 10/10 · 11 February 2015]

This movie is one of the few that impartially present the difficult times Ukraine found itself in during the 1930's. The times of massive repressions and executions of the civilian population, murder by forced starvation, and persecution of anyone who disagreed with the Soviet government in Moscow.

Basic knowledge of Eastern European history of the early 20th century would greatly help to see what links certain events together.

I suggest you read the synopsis before watching the movie to have a better understanding of the events that take place. Their true historical weight is what really gives them a deeper meaning.

Highly recommend!

[annazdorovko · 10/10 · 10 July 2019]

This is one of the must-see films for those who wants to meet struggling Ukrainian history and to know the true face of the Soviet reign.

The guide - one of the best Ukrainian movies ever.

[vovanishche3592002 · 10/10 · 6 February 2015]

The Guide - one of the best Ukrainian movies ever. Must watch film, to understand current events in Ukraine. (Maidan 2014) History repeats itself, especially since Russian government has not changed it's policy toward Ukrainian nation. Based on Historical facts the movie portrays how Soviet/Russian government had always wanted to destroy Ukrainian identity,culture and its people. The movie is set in early 1930 Kharkiv, beginning of planed mass starvation (10 million Ukrainian civilians) by Josef Stalin, called Holodomor. It also teaches us about Ukrainian heroes, legendary Kobzars, spiritual leaders of Ukrainian nation. In addition to a powerful story that the movie tells, filming, acting and directing is at highest level of filmography.

strong movie

[migovich · 10/10 · 1 May 2022]

I was struck by emotions, as if I plunged into that era, I saw everything myself, how it was. This is the power of the art of cinema and this film is a great example of what cinema should be. Historical truth is also important, everyone who is interested in how everything really happened is obliged to watch the film so as not to fall for the propaganda of fascist russia.