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.

A film for the people who can take their time to think about it. All the problems revealed in it are typical not for the "external" life of the country, but for the people's minds. That's why it seems to be a bit "grotesque" and "uninteresting".

This film is more than it appears at first glance. Various themes are weaved together to produce a beautiful picture of the relationship between the two leading female characters. The criminal sphere in Moscow is only fraction of the movie and anyone who enjoys a good intellectual drama will find Todorovsky's adaptation of Renata Litvinova's "To Have and To Belong" an absorbing find.

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.

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.