Truth and Justice

The movie is a long very emotional rollercoaster, but it is made so well, you don't want to stop it. It's based on a book which elements the movie brings up very well. It's a long movie but definitely never boring!

Stellar movie with great acting, outstanding visual language and excellent sound making a wonderful whole. Very well paced. Couple of helpful notes for foreign watchers unfamiliar with the novel's historic background:

• The story opens with Andres having bought a farm on a loan, and there are several references about "having to work to pay it off". It was a very contemporary and important theme at that time, as most land was yet owned by nobility and farmers were in process of first buying the land for themselves.*

When you can own a farm and leave it to your children, having "an heir" can also become more important.

• The 5-volume pentalogy by A. H. Tammsaare is a philosophical novel that deals with a person's interaction with the land, god, society and themselves. That is reflected in both characters and themes. The movie is based on the first volume, that took over 20 years from idea to execution.
• Not all answers or judgments are easily provided, but the watcher (reader) will come to their own interpretation/conclusion. This is how a masterpiece engages the audience and that has been masterfully translated from novel to screen.

--- * Buying land by farmers was made easier by new laws in 1849 (Livonian**) and 1856 (Estonian***), earlier regulations from the same century first permitting it were not effective. ** Governorate of Livonia- contemporary southern Estonia and northern Latvia *** Governorate of Estonia - contemporary northern Estonia

I rarely write reviews. Don't know how I found this gem. This movie is exceptional. I felt like I am just not watching movie but part of it. Felt so real. Nothing more to say. Watch it. Rare gem.

For some reason I think think movie with its characters, storyline and background has the biggest effect on Estonians themselves. I just can not imagine the story (or the book that it is based on) has much impact on someone from US, Brazil or Thailand.

It is difficult to explain why the somewhat depressing subject of the film (work, work, work without the reward, redemption and love) is so important for Estonians. It is just part of our cultural narrative and how Estonians view themselves I suppose. So Truth and Justice is one those films that you have to see if you want to get a glimpse into the hard-to-crack soul of our little country and its people.

As everyone knows, Estonians do not like to praise (much like the characters in the movie in fact), so the simple fact that everyone I know loves this film, says more about it than any international praise may ever do.

I almost cannot believe that Estonians have completed such a masterpiece. Tanel Toom should receive an award for creating a movie which unites all Estonians, regardless of their age, beliefs, or social status.

The movie is a life in itself, over which characters change, your perception of them changes, and by the end it is hard to believe that all this changed so naturally and believably. I doubt anyone stepped out of the cinema without thinking through their own beliefs and attitude in the face of adversity or disappointment.