Polyoty vo sne i nayavu

Complicated, expressionist, with a bizarre storyline, if there is one. About an immature man that is lost at forty as he was always, living a meaningless life and playing with the ones close to him like a spoiled child. As difficult as a man as he can be, everyone seems to love and like him, even if he is hurting them constantly. All women love this charismatic kind of person, that makes them dream and evade of their own made reality, from the railway worker, to the lonely colleague that was once his lover. I was a bit surprised to see such a realistic portrait of a soviet town with pretty poor infrastructure and living conditions and it was before Gorbaciov. As in almost all russian movies of the time, one can see the alcohol excessive consumption, the enthusiastic nature of the russian soul and the good natured and helping russian citizen.

Some of the reviews here helped me understand this movie better. I was born in 1984 so I only heard the fuss this movie made back then. While watching it now I felt constant despair as if not only the main character was living meaninglessly but the whole town this movie was set in. It is hard to watch indeed, but I can understand how it was perceived by those living in a deeply stagnated country.

Roman Balayan's film is an emotional exploration of a man struggling to find his place in life. The main character is deeply traumatized from childhood, with issues stemming from his mother, leading to complicated relationships with women. He feels a sense of alienation and foreignness in society, and his trauma dictates an escape route through infantilism and flight.

The film features many intriguing details: a sense of artificiality in the decor, reminiscent of desolate cities of memory, and scenes in nature that emphasize his detachment. The main character resembles Don Quixote in a midlife crisis. The sounds of the radio symbolize that the world is in constant motion, showcasing the different vibes of the people around him. His relationships with women are a complex dynamic where his childishness is both alluring and repelling.

The film's ending is touching, returning the hero to his childhood but failing to provide him with a chance for true self-acceptance. It leaves us questioning whether he is ready to take responsibility and become a healthy person, as this acceptance will require facing his problems. As we see in Kira Muratova's "Astenic Syndrome," people remain directionless, but the main issue always lies within.

An excellent illustration of a person's life without spiritual values, the absence of any attachment and interest in anything and obvious degradation .. exclusively masterful director's, artistic, and acting work. This movie is an absolute masterpiece of Soviet cinema. We see all this today at the level of world culture - a civilization cut off from the spiritual and historical roots loses its meaning and rolls into a chaos and oblivion

I can't think of another well-made and realistic depiction of borderline personality disorder in men more convincing than this one. It's like a psychiatry textbook classic case. And while the disorder has been frequently shown in films, it's been almost exclusively a female role.

And who can fit as a male patient of BPD more than the charming Yankovsky. Charismatic, flirtatious, energetic, impulsive, feeling lonely in groups with multiple intense interpersonal relationships, unstable self-image, risk-taking behaviour with potential self harm, episodes of intense mood swings and neediness. Almost all scenes are eloquently illustrative and diagnostic..The typical hysterical peformance when he fell to the ground to avoid being abandoned by his young lover..the moment he held his kid assuring his paternity to himself...All were fabulously performed by Yankovsky. The skillful director together with Yankovsky's superb talent and unmatched acting skills must have been supplemented by observation of multiple examples of the disorder .. Didn't he once say how he watched his cat staring at him and slowly closing his eyes carefully in order to put a similar scene in one of his upcoming films...A good actor ,just like a good doctor, must be a good observer.