Baryshnya-krestyanka

This is the epitome of a movie that was probably written by ten monkeys working with ten typewriters for ten days/years. Rarely have I seen something so pathetic, worthless, and mind-numbing as the garbage that is "Baryshnya-krestyanka". If this was written by the Alexander Pushkin of whom I'm thinking, then this has got to be the most bungled attempt in movie history at translating a novel to the screen; Pushkin must spin in his grave every time that someone watches this.

Oh, I forgot to explain the plot (or lack thereof). It's about a young aristocrat wondering which man she is going to marry. You read that right; it's basically a Jane Austen story transposed to Russia. My only pleasure while watching it was throwing out "MST3K"-style comments. Among these were:

-After someone walks into a room with a new hairdo: "That's right. Give yourself a Yulia Tymoshenko hairdo." (in reference to the woman in Ukraine's government)

-While the girl was getting a bath: "So are we to understand that water sexually arouses her? Boy, she IS retarded!"

-While the girl and a hunter are eating berries: "Hey you meat-heads! Give the dog some berries! If you don't, I'll report you to PETA!"

Another time, I said that Owen Wilson was starring in the movie. This movie is so full of itself that there's nothing to do but throw out mean comments. I will be a better person if I can forget that I ever saw this flotsam. I should admit that I only watched it for a class; we all wrote reviews of it. I dedicated my review to Bob Denver, who had died a few days earlier.

I know this is a romance movie but I am a person who looks seriousness and gravity even in a romance movie. Pushkin is one of my favorite writers in Russian literature. And Russian classic book buffs know that in every classic you find something deep,a philosophical conversation or a punchline which drives you new thoughts.In the movie there is barely a philosophical deep dialogue only a few between the leading actor and his father. But Yelena Korikava's performance as a flighty aristocratic girl is fine. It may not be a great adaptation but it still serves its purpose to show the rift between aristocrats and peasants...Russian aristocracy's obsession with languages like French and English. Last but not least the movie is successful to reflect the cordon bleu humor of Pushkin.I don't regret watching this mawkish romance just because of that humor element.