Afonya

Ridiculous fact.... When Danelia came to the United States in 1976 with the film "Athonia." The Soviet government instructed him to go to the Oscar Award ceremony, and could win an Oscar for the film "Dersu Uzala," which was made jointly by the USSR and Japan. Russian film director Ders Uzala was not allowed to come to Los Angeles. Danelia won an Oscar for this director. And Voice of America radio reported that Danelia won an Oscar for the film "Athonia."

What the movie is about: A plumber is living his best life. A woman leaves him, but he finds a new one. He's late for work and friends, but he doesn't worry. He just drinks and gets sad sometimes.

It's hard to describe the movie, to be honest. Even KP can't handle it. It's literally a retelling of the whole movie, and the tagline is even worse.:

A drinking womanizing plumber confronts a world of hypocrites and bureaucrats. An unfading folk hit by George Danelia

You don't even want to watch it after that, but don't let it scare you.

The film is about an ordinary person. About a bad good person. He seems to be doing something bad, but how can you be mad at him?

Constantly on the move, and it's interesting to watch.

It's mostly a comedy, and the funniest scenes are with Leonov. He doesn't have much screen time, but he's inimitable as always.

One of the best movies made by great Russian-Soviet-Georgian director Georgy Danelia. Of all his brilliant works "Aphonya" probably is the most loved by Soviet people, and most cited too. This film is a tragicomic journey into the world of a middle-aged plumber Afanasiy Borshchov (Afonya), starting exactly when the next black stripe in his life begins - he's left by his woman, there are trouble with work, and, yes, there's some alcohol dependence. On the first look, Borschov is an exceedingly jovial man, sometimes rather cynical and sarcastic though. But as the movie proceeds and we get deeper into the inner world of the hero, Danelia and Kuravlyov (the actor) reveal unexpected dramatical depth of the character, turning out to be portraying the entire social phenomena of the village people moving to the big city and getting oppressed by the urban way of life. The first half of the film is quite entertaining, most of the gags and comic situations are concentrated here. Then the melodramatic and rather sad second part comes, showing relations between Borshchov and the young nurse Katya, and how are these relations growing from the light flirting in the disco into the deep and desperate love (brilliant acting by Evgenia Simonova). The general idea of the film as I see it is hero's return to the roots, into the village, which blows away Afonya's emotional numbness and fake joviality, unfolding the beautiful and loving soul, truly Russian in its frankness and kindness. Amazing works by wonderful actors E.Leonov and B.Brondukov starring as Afonya's boon-companions, and a lot of other great actor works like Vladimir Basov (Dni Turbinyh), Nikolay Grinko (Stalker, Solaris), Savely Kramarov (Gentlmeny Udachi) and so on. There's no visual refinement of Danelia's later works (especially his stunning surrealistic sci-fi "Kin-Dza-Dza") in this film, and the camera work is quite traditional. But the editing is very expressive and sometimes drastically changes the mood of the film. Also it is necessary to add that this movie is one of the best portrayals of Soviet urban life of 70's, so it possesses definite historical value. I would give this film 8 out of 10, and among Danelia's works I would placed it on the second if not on the first place. Should this film be adequately translated, the Western viewers could also enjoy it very much.

Daneliya is my favourite movie director, mostly because of his cult classic Kin-Dza-Dza. I finally got to Afonya and declare it a masterpiece. Daneliya has this unique talent for a full-on sarcasm towards his characters combined with incredible love and compassion for them. This combo reminds me a bit of older episodes of the Simpsons, only there is MORE sarcasm and MORE love.

Afonya used to be one of my favourite guy types, the class clown, dealing pot on the side, always getting into trouble and trying to joke their way out of it. I dated a couple of them over the years and got to know that their joking is a cover up for the emptiness they would feel once they stop talking. They often don't realize it themselves, but I am glad that Afonya did.

I saw some comments in Russian reviews not understanding why his girl saviour - being so much younger that he is and a pretty girl - keeps following him around. I think it's quite straightforward, she mentions that her brother was on Afonya's youth days volleyball team, and she probably had a huge crush on him then. It's still a crush and not love, but hey, it all worked out at the end :)

One of my favorite USSR movies. Offers huge psychological background for viewer. Many are keen to think "Afonya" is a comedy, but i would rather call it tragical comedy. Movie shows many details of general USSR citizen life, but i would say it goes even much deeper, and tries to analyze human relations, especially it is visible in discussions between main hero and friend, who stays at his place, after wife drives him off home. Danelia made movie very close to reality, and guess everyone who had lived in USSR could recognize there himself. Tricked hopes, lost chances in past, lack of reversible love - all is there. Till the very end you have no clue how it will end, as in life. Some moments make you cry, some to laugh, but i guess there is no moment when you get indifferent to actions on screen. Great job by Danelia!