Un ami du défunt

I watched this movie several times with a few of my friends (both Russian/Ukrainian and English-speaking), and almost everybody liked it. Every time I watch this film, it leaves a good (although, a bit sad) impression.

I think that the story is interesting. Maybe not very original, but not beaten to death either. When I watched it for the first time, I was mostly interested in what would happen to the characters, after which I concentrated more on details. I think that most actors were very good: it's like you watch people living, not acting. Dialogs were funny, although English translation did not do them justice (on the other hand, certain things you simply cannot translate: they only make sense in the cultural context).

While most characters in the movie are pretty much pathetic (and/or miserable), they are somehow likeable. Even Dima, who seems to never get bothered by any moral imperatives, shows a human side (e.g. when he lets a poor old lady not to pay the full price for whatever she was buying).

I also liked the sound, editing, just about everything that made this film. Unless you are a dedicated soap opera or professional wrestling fan, you may find it a treat, too. 9 out of 10.

P.S. It is surprising, but this movie is not well known in either Russia or Ukraine.

I come from a russian family, and my parents love watching russian movies. I hate them! I hate them all! I can't stand it when they turn on the russian channel. Last night i was watching Showtime when i came across a russian voice! I started to wonder...if Showtime is showing this movie then it must be decent! I watched it from start to finish, and rarely read the subtitles (i only needed to read them when they spoke to fast). I thought it was a good movie. I really thought the ending was funny, and ironic. Give it a try...even if you hate russian flicks.

good movie, also very painful for anyone from that region of the world.

i warmly recommend it to americans - try something other than hollywood - it doesn't hurt...

"A Friend of the Deceased" starts as an old tale about a despondent man who takes out a contract on his own life and then renegs. The film is a plodding work with little going for it save the curious plot and interesting twists on the hacked storyline. There's plenty of behind the Iron Curtain-rod contempo symbolism; everyone drinks without regard for time of day; beggars everywhere; somber atmospherics; American money in a Ukraine wallet; and a kind of woebegone milieu not to mention one character's personal commentary about the state of the country. A sober and understated work with an anticlimactic conclusion, "A Friend..." does manage some poignancy and will be of most interest to foreign film buffs, especially those into Russian flicks. (C+)

This movie was a lot of fun. It consisted of all the elements that make for a relaxing evening on the couch, simply being entertained by a good story well told (but only if subtitles don't scare you). The lead character was charming and sincere, the situations he was getting into at his age and in his country were believable, as were his solutions.

The supporting cast helped too. Typecast to a "T", each one of them made us look forward to their next scene. And we weren't disappointed, they were featured when they were needed and fit into the story like the pieces of a puzzle.

And the wonderful location shots. One of our favorite reasons for viewing foreign films is for the locations. Seeing the streets of Paris, Moscow, The Ukraine, wherever the movies take us.

We were happy to see this film sitting on the shelf at the video store and it gives us hope that there will be more like it when we go back.