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This film is a brilliant view of what is Russia today. A hundred years ago, it was a large empire, with people who had faith and sense of life. Today, it's a raped country: 70-th year rule of the Soviet Union have left people without a ground under their feet. But still these people want to be happy, and they want this very much.

The movie shows all this with great care. You can see Saint-Petersburg, a once brilliant empire's capital, and measly life of its current citizens. One is a killer, another is a bad musician. Next one is an alcoholic, -- as he puts is, because he is bored. Then, there's a poor old man -- notice a carriage at the door that old people use to drive goods from the shops home. And also an unfortunate prostitute.

These people don't talk very much, just because there's nothing left to talk about. They go to a place with no return way -- without any doubt, as they have nothing to loose. All they possess, is a wish to be happy. And may be some of them really deserve it...

it can be a version of Stalker. same story of place, same search of the sense of existence. but Balabanov film remains different by Tarkovsky masterpiece. not for the difference of value or for the manner to present the story. but for its clothes.in this case, the film is a part of its director memory. not only because it is his last movie but because it represents essence of his art message. few people who desires make a dream real. a trip. and an answer. result - picture from a gray Russia. gray skin, gray soul. and strong need of innocence. for me, it is a religious film. a parable about salvation. a movie who has a lot of influences from Tchekov to Bergman but who has the courage to be an Alexei Balabanov creation. maybe, a form of his last will. a mirror - film. like many movies from East. a mirror with fugitive, fragile silhouettes, with a profound, powerful pray resonance, with traces of a society appetite for faith. after its end, the title sounds as cover of metamorphose. the desire who becomes duty. to be happy for to exist. a film who can be real useful for many of us.

This film (best translated as "Me Too") was Balabanov's farewell to the world - he knew he hadn't long to live, and as such it has deeply spiritual and introspective elements to it (the director himself makes an effective cameo).

The subject bears some similarity to Tarkovsky's Stalker (the idea of people entering a walled off zone in search for a one stop solution to their life problems), including its focus on spiritual questions, but keeping the dialog more natural and accessible as opposed to delving deep into philosophical discussions as in Stalker. Like Tarkovsky it also features long takes - though Balabanov maintains his traditional Scorecese like preference for popular music leading the soundtrack, a more upbeat rhythm to the shots, and affinity for montage.

The film features mostly non-professional actors, all of whom are directed to perfection. The story is easy to follow, the characters have color and authenticity. I would have preferred a little more economy with some sequences, it seems Balabanov slowed his pace a bit compared to his earlier films, but being that this is a film of spiritual contemplation that is not a bad direction to err in. At the same time, Balabanov keeps his sense of humor and that makes the story more fun to absorb. This is definitely a fitting end to a career of a lively director who's body of work is not as known in the west as it should be, and a great invitation to contemplate, in a non-pretentious manner, the question of what 'happiness' is.

..who doesn't want to find happiness? Even if it leads to roaming around the snow naked or dying for it?

I had the chance to view this at Rotterdam's international film festival and as the person introducing the film put it "it's the most personal film of the director".

It's a slow movie in my opinion, which could have shown so much more (more modern Russian life bits, more road movie staff), leading to a lot people around me, falling asleep.

In the end we find happiness dying...but the search of it could have been filmed in a more interesting way.