Strana glukhikh

"Country of the Deaf" is one of the best Russian movies of 90's. Also it is a rare example of the movie dedicated to the discovery of the subculture of deaf people in modern Russian society.

Valery Todorovsky has created tense, fast, sometimes violent movie with deep characters. It is not only about loneliness, love and hate of deaf people. It is about all of us - about the post-soviet generation.

And of course, Chulpan Hamatova, Dina Korzun and Maksim Sukhanov are great (as usually) - Russian actor's school continues to be one of the major ones in the world.

the poetry of this beautiful film remains the most important fact after its final credits. like a form of flavor. like an old fashion Russian drama. the second - the inspired performances of the lead actresses. and the slices of contemporary Russia discovered from perfect angle. a story from the East. like many others. maybe, to theatrical. but useful eulogy of small things who defines use. like friendship and hope and help. like the words as bridges. like the choice who must be for define the truth. a beautiful film. or a touching one. and the frame for delicate memories.

This is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Acting, particularly by Dina Korzun, is incredibly strong and vivid. Also,Chulpan Hamatova was an excellent pick for the Rita part. She's natural, yet at times IMO, fails to match Korzun. The scene, where Rita tries to comfort Yaya after the dreadful experience and Yaya first mentions the Strana Gluhih and describes it to her, was the best IMO. Overall, plot is not quite thorough yet catchy. It provides an interesting perspective to lives of Muscovites during the transition from USSR to Russia. I strongly recommend this movie to anyone who's fed up with the crap that keeps coming out of Hollywood persistently for quite some years now. I just wish I'd seen this movie earlier. Two thumbs up.

not in common rules limits. but interesting metaphor about escape, friendship, need of certitude and illusion and search to discover yourself in the other. far to be perfect, with too large slice of contemporary Russian reality, it remains beautiful first for two virtues - the performance of Dina Korzun and Chiulpan Kamatova and the end. a film about two women and their choices. that is all. a kind of parable. or only a film about importance of small things. many unrealistic scenes. but the science of actresses to give inspired solutions really works. a movie who can be good occasion to reflection. about the tools to create a decent drama with influences of Russian theater, to discover image from East in a cruel manner, to remember the fascination of great Soviet movies.

This movie is wonderful if you consider yourself a 'beginner' at Russian culture. It's very organic and flows wonderfully from scene to scene. It doesn't feel like a crime drama, it feels much more light-hearted with certain rebellious qualities, as if to say, 'Yeah, the Mafia is in this movie, but who says I have to slaughter twelve guys as messily as possible?" It's a breath of fresh air. A great deal of the action is conveyed purely through body language, which is especially poignant in a movie about deaf people - try watching it with the subtitles off, you'll see what I mean. One unforeseen benefit this movie offers is to beginning students of the Russian language. It is great because most if not all of the people in the movie speak very loudly and slowly as they are signers speaking in Russian, or at least portraying them.