Strana glukhikh

It's a good movie. As almost all the modern Russian movies it has a significant Hollywood feel to it, but all in all it's in the good old tradition. The acting is good (almost always), the plot is simple and effective. Quite a few scenes are done really good. In a sense it combines the depth of European (Russian) movies with power and speed of Hollywood. For example compare the scene of break up of Lesha and Rita with the drugs deal in the airport which is made in the best traditions of Tarantino. All in all good movie worth watching.

This film proved to me that the fashion for Iranian and Chinese movies will be replaced by growing interest towards Russian cinematography quite soon. Strana Glukhikh is such a pure and sincere description of a modern Russian life, that you do not even notice some slow-down's in the movie's plot in the middle. Dina Korzun is just fantastic. Watch her on the covers of magazines in couple years! Chulpan Khamatova is reserved but very exact in her acting. But the highlight of the movie is a soundtrack. I did not hear such a life-confirming music for quite a long time. Indeed, this is not a criminal drama as some can think. It is a touching story of people fighting for their happiness told in very warm and sincere words.

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 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.

I'm not a big fan of contemporary Russian cinema, but this time it surprised me a lot. This is a movie of totally different kind: smart, precise and artistic. It is not about contemporary Russian life (although the sense of `different life' is everywhere in this move). And it's not about criminals: like in `Hana-bi' and `Sonatine' of Takeshi Kitano, crime is only a symbol. The story is not realistic too. It is done as a deep parable, instead.

The feeling of a `deaf world' is totally believable. The directing is great. The performances are outstanding. Praise to the new Russian cinema, complex and sincere.