While Russian Police/Law Court corruption is a good topic to take aim at - this movie's attempts may not render a great deal of difference. It comes across as lacking convincing continuity or situations. If this movie is yet unseen, this overview may contain spoilers but little more than already mentioned in various promos.
A Child's mother dumps her baby at an orphanage then comes back 16years later and attempts to reclaim him but, is refused, on grounds of being proven completely unfit to care for him. Still, somehow, she manages to simply walk out with him in toe. The lacklustre script takes such story liberties without being all that believable or genuinely involving. Seems she wants her son to be a road accident pawn to fraudulently set-up big 'accident' claims. Our so-called mother, then proceeds to walk around the house wearing only scanty underwear day and night (muttering something about it helps to keep the house clean!) Cheap sensationalistic writing more like it - bringing on suggestions of an incestuous set-up. At one stage, while coming home from a drunken party, she asks her son to hold her up while she urinates in the street, this comes complete with close-ups of pee falling between her legs onto the pathway (what did we do to deserve so many 'vital-story-element' details!!).
The resultant court cases, even though they demonstrate unforgivable corruption seem somewhat unconvincingly set-up, so it's difficult to feel much outrage - without feeling manipulated as a viewer. Director and cameraman have chosen to work with dimly lit, cheap wobble-cam handheld camera shots, often having the look of a film school student's work. This was made with funding from the Ministry of Culture of Russia but looks rather poor in its 'cultural' output. With all the elements of terrible corruption being examined, this topic might have been better served if treated as a documentary, as is, what could have been worthy comment comes across as shallow movie making.
It's not a long movie but feels rather endless. Some may last the distance without reaching for the remotes double speed device but, could be doubtful if all that many.
The resultant court cases, even though they demonstrate unforgivable corruption seem somewhat unconvincingly set-up, so it's difficult to feel much outrage - without feeling manipulated as a viewer. Director and cameraman have chosen to work with dimly lit, cheap wobble-cam handheld camera shots, often having the look of a film school student's work. This was made with funding from the Ministry of Culture of Russia but looks rather poor in its 'cultural' output. With all the elements of terrible corruption being examined, this topic might have been better served if treated as a documentary, as is, what could have been worthy comment comes across as shallow movie making.
It's not a long movie but feels rather endless. Some may last the distance without reaching for the remotes double speed device but, could be doubtful if all that many.
