Obychnaya zhenshchina

"An Ordinary Woman" by Boris Khlebnikov and Nataliya Meshchaninova is one of the best Russian TV shows of the last decade. The double life of the never depressing main character of the film, saturated with a series of unpredictable and tragic events, as a reflection of the double standards of today's life in Russia. Benefit of the wonderful actress Anna Mikhalkova.

I like it is not from usa.+1 for "real life" looks.

As some black humor.

Too slow at times.

Cynical look at Russian negotiations under the table .

Decent cast.

Very recommended!

If you've enjoyed Better call Saul and Breaking Bad, I'd advise against watching this. Throughout the show unless you switch off your brain completely, you keep asking yourself "why are they doing this?" and the only answer is "so the show can go on with characters overcoming unrealistic self-imposed difficulties". Parts of the plot are so generic and americanesque that they do not fit in within Russian reality at all, but are otherwise easily recognizable. Hotel clerk woman is a copycat of Saul's girlfriend for example. Script is filled with such glaring holes, that even taking it for a dark unfunny comedy doesn't help. Actors seem smarter than the script and it appears you can sometimes see them cringe... Bortich is her usual blank-o-wood expression range, same for the protagonist's what'shername daughter. But it wouldn't be complete as a pile of ... excitement without feminist angle. Pretty much all men are incapable flaccid trash, while all women are almighty... Makes me not ever want to let a pregnant woman take my seat on a public transport - she is apparently stronger than me and doesn't need it... Hell, she could probably just walk any distance... It's filmed alright though.

Absolutely breathtaking story, brilliant Anna Mikhalkova as "an ordinary Russian woman" who turned out to be not so ordinary after all.

It's a series about modern Russia, corruption, cynicism of people who have accustomed to the surrounding environment in order to survive. It's a tragedy about women of all walks of life but a tragedy not without humour. Great acting by pretty much everyone in the film makes it that much better to watch. I enjoyed it thoroughly, highly recommended!