Victor and Natasha drive back to Moscow after a good honeymoon trip by the Black Sea. Already nearing home, Victor hits an elderly lady while driving too fast. All of a sudden, their plans for a good life together are in doubt. Victor is going to face trial, may go to prison.
To start with, the situation seems to him just ridiculous and sad. They are so young and bright. Their whole life is ahead of them. The lady that was hit by Victor was old, probably half blind and careless in the street. Surely the old lady is more to blame for her own death than Victor, isn't she? Why did this have to happen precisely to him? Should he accept the blame for the accident and thus risk long-term prison, and the end of his career and marital prospects? Does he have to pay for it or not? Should he not escape, somehow? What is the point of self-sacrifice in such a situation? The film also shows a clash between the young and the old, the bright and the ordinary, the haves and the have nots.
Excellent acting by the late Oleg Yankovsky, as always, and by Irina Kupchenko in the main roles. Some other distinguished actors contribute to the film's success.
A realistic view of a turning point in people's lives, sad, sometimes gut-wrenching, but never sentimental, containing nothing superfluous. Not an optimistic film, but one worth watching, not only for what is said and acted, but also for the hidden emotions, the things left unsaid that greatly contribute to it.
