Ironiya sudby. Prodolzhenie

Before watching the film we have read the reviews: this is a continuation of the Irony of Fate 1, but a bad one; no, this is a good continuation; still different, this film should not be considered as a continuation. There is an 'objection' that a hero drives a certain car; was he supposed to change cars every 20 minutes to give "equal rights" to different car manufacturers ? There is another 'objection' that the heroes behave as they did in Part 1; should nice people now become nasty and vice versa ? There is a still different 'objection' to lights in the city and fireworks on New Year's Eve. Rarely one sees such a diversity of views, many mutually contradictory and some outlandish.

Now that we have seen Part 2, I can comment on it: on people, devices, locations and situations.

There are actors known before from Part 1: Barbara Brylska as Nadya; Andrei Myagkov as Zhenya; Yuriy Yakovlev as Ippolit; Aleksandr Shirvindt as Pasha (mostly Pavlik in Part 1); Aleksandr Belyavskiy as Sasha; as well as Valentina Talyzina as Valya. It was so good to see them again ! Now we also have Elizaveta Boyarskaya as Nadya Number 2, the daughter of the original Nadya; Konstantin Khabenskiy as Kostya Lukashin son of Zhenya; Sergey Bezrukov as Irakliy (note a carefully chosen name, similar to Ippolit). There are naturally more new faces, including Igor Savochkin as Kolya the Border Guard; he makes his unique contributions – largely because most of the time he is as confused as a hungry baby in a topless bar. While Nadya Number 1 now wears large glasses, her smile is the same as before. While Zhenya now has less hair, his smile is also the same as before.

As for devices, frequent use of cell phones makes this means of communication look nearly ridiculous. An original comic approach, while in more and more locations around the world there are limitations on the use of cell phones, including driving.

Obviously Apartment # 12 in House # 25 on the Third Constructors Street plays its role again, as does the elevator there. We also see again the train station from which trains go to Moscow as well as two airports. This helps the impression of continuity – as does music repeated from the first film (except for the song at the end which is new).

The situations are sometimes similar as before, but with interesting twists. It is not easy now to send Zhenya to St. Petersburg; this becomes a clever two parts operation executed by Sasha and Pasha. Zhenya starts to figure things out when Pasha phones to reserve "another" plane ticket. There are also new situations – well connected to Part 1. Nadya Number 2 is asked by Grandfather Frost to play his Snow Girl. She gets instant advice not to agree. However, in a wonderful twist of action, Nadya says: when I was five years old, I had to do things I hated; when I was 10 years old, it was the same; enough is enough; I agree. When one knows that Ippolit is her father and one knows his character from Part 1, the fact that he has been a despotic father is anything but surprising. Thus, events in Part 2 are admirably rooted in Part 1.

One sympathizes so much with Kostya - who can hardly get a moment alone with younger Nadya. One admires his ingenuity in creating opportunities to talk to Nadya. When Grandfather Frost walks into Nadya's apartment, one wishes that inside the costume covering largely the face should be Kostya. One hears later an explanation of the original Snow Girl: he agreed to take over and complete the Grandfather Frost route but on the condition that he will have his own Snow Girl. Incidentally, I recently learned something about Grandfather Frost: Santa Claus was strictly forbidden for a number of years in the Soviet Union – until Stalin found the tradition too strong and allowed him but renamed Grandfather Frost and wearing blue instead of red. The vote of five children on who should marry the Princess is new and fresh - in spite of centuries of fairy tales.

We have seen recently a US movie called "Fast Five", with virtually nothing left to imagination and much noise most of the time. Here both Part 1 and Part 2 have two levels; the amusing or moving surface level, but also a deeper level where the viewer has much food for thought. This is one more common feature of both films. Timur Bekmambetov as the director, Emil Braginskiy as the story writer – together with Eldar Ryazanov himself – have much to be proud of. One needs to say this: the richness of Part 1 has much helped the creators of Part 2 to make such a good film.

Let me provide at least an example of two levels in this film. Kostya asks: "are we in Moscow or in St. Petersburg ?". Younger Nadya provides a charming – but also a profound – response: Does it matter ?".

Personally, I thought that this movie will be а usual fake оf the first part. Thanks god that I was wrong! The second part has fanny dialogs, nice songs, good actors, New Year's magic and happy ending – all that what we liked so much in the firs part. I very much enjoyed the plot; It is closely connected with the first movie but is interesting and surprising. The atmosphere in the cinema during the film was fantastic – the move helped people to feel the beginning of the celebration.

I should recognize, that the film is close only to the Soviet spectator. Most people, not knowing Russian traditions simply will not understand details which are so important. The idea, the characters - all this strongly influences those to whom the concept of wide soul is close. Acting is great...the main hero is a real «nice very nice gay», which you will like and a girl in the movie is gorgeous!!! The film is worth seen: it will make you laugh at the beginning and cry at the end. Only one thing is not liked by me – it is the mixture of styles in camera work. Also advertising in the movie is too obvious and annoys.

Concerning everything, it is a great present for New Year!

If there is one lesson that could be drawn from this movie, it is this: do not touch old Soviet classics! Does anyone really think it is possible to produce a sequel to a movie thirty years after it came out on the screens? Since the old "Irony of Fate" was made, it has become one of the most venerated Soviet cultural icons. And icons are better be left alone. I'm not sure if any director would be able to make a successful "Irony of Fate-2", but what we are offered by Bekmambetov is at best a third-rate production. Bekmambetov may be a decent thriller-movie director (see his Daywatch and Nightwatch) but he is extremely weak as a maker of romantic comedies, which is what "Irony-2" was purported to be. The plot details are not developed at all (thus, we do not learn anything about Kostya's or Nadya's occupations or previous lives); the advertising of Toyota Camry is too obvious not to be noticed; and the acting, with the possible exception of Bezrukov (Irakliy) is one-dimensional and unconvincing. The old actors (Myagkov, Brylska) look tired, lost and emotionless, as if trying to understand what it is really they are doing in this movie. Special effects (such as the one with the Aurora) may be fitting in a fantasy thriller but they look out of place in a romantic comedy. In short, this is another proof that there is little worth seeing in post-Soviet cinema.

If you liked the first movie you will definitely like this one... It's worth to be watched.. sure better after seeing the first part... some things never get old... this one won't also... :-) the old actors are all there... the mood is there... its funny.. its romantic.. music is fantastic.. it brings good and nice feelings.. memories.. really do not agree with the Canadian critic above that "If there is one lesson that could be drawn from this movie, it is this: do not touch old Soviet classics! Does anyone really think it is possible to produce a sequel to a movie thirty years after it came out on the screens? " sure its possible.. anything is possible..Come on man.. what do you know about the feeling of old soviet movies..? am not from Russia.. still.. if you know the language and are able to enjoy a good movie.. you will definitely enjoy this one..

This production (I cannot bring myself to call it a movie, because it isn't) pretends to be a sequel to the beloved New Year romantic comedy the Irony of Fate (Ирония Судьбы). In fact, it is nothing more than a shameless attempt to cash in on the huge and well-deserved popularity of the original, which remains one of the favorites of the Russian-language audiences even after more than 30 years. This "sequel" brings together most of the original actors who appeared in the Eldar Ryazanov's masterpiece. As you might well imagine, the original actors are by now in their seventies - which is by no means a bar to being a good actor (just take a pick at any of Jack Lemmon's late movies!), provided that you do not try to play the same role you had 30 years ago. Unfortunately, the movie director Timur Bekmambetov (Тимур Бекмамбетов) completely lacks the ability to capitalize on the strengths of his actors; he is also clueless in the basic principles of scene composition, and is incapable of pulling off the most basic of physical jokes. In addition to that, the script lacks a coherent plot or basic believability. The production quality is also terrible - I've seen some home movies with more professional scene lighting, for example. Altogether, this is an extremely bad movie - avoid it at all costs, even if you have to pay to be let off watching it.