Lana's Rain

Lana's Rain is a great film. There are many plots running through the film. However, they are all kept in check by a wonderfully written script. The ending twist that the character Lana plays on Darko and the other characters is written beautifully.

Credit should be given to Joel Goodman and Michael Ojeda for bringing this to Chicago to be filmed. It is the perfect backdrop for this movie.

Nickolai Stoilov (Darko) and OKSANA ORLENKO (Lana) are going to be big stars.

What can you say bad about a film that received 3 stars from Roger Ebert??

So much was said without using words.I saw this film with my girlfriend and sister and we all loved it.The lead actress and actor were superb. The editing was outstanding.I didn't mind the subtitles at all. There were a couple of things I didn't understand.The story was heartwarming and heartbreaking.Yes, the American Dream as seen from the other side. I thought the film was about to end twice and it kept on going only to get better.Some blood and guts,but not too much.It was tastefully done. It is a dark movie with a wonderful ending where she...oops!Well I highly recommend it especially if you want to see something different. And it really was shot in Chicago,not Toronto.Thanks for making a wonderful American film in America.

This is a film about a brother and sister who escape war-inflicted bosnia to arrive in chicago. soon their enthusiasm evaporates however, when their money is stolen. this is a beautifully directed film, and i was lucky to attend the premier in chicago and speak with the actor who plays darko. i think both leads are fine actors, and the film works very well. its very realistic, very gritty, and very intense. I think about half of the dialogue is spoken in croatian, and that adds to the realism of the film. many moments are very heartbreaking, like when lana tries to learn english by reading a dr. seuss book. I also loved the way the director portrayed chicago. he is obviously very familiar with the city and it shows. overall, i highly recommend it.

This is what independent film is all about. Goodman has created intriguing characters and a compelling story that show a mix of cultures that are alien to most Americans.

Lana's Rain emphasizes the gritty side of life that you don't get to see in Hollywood movies. Lana and her brother Darko move to America looking for a better life, quickly realizing the hardships of a strange land with no money, no friends, and only each other to count on. Not even knowing the language, Lana is forced to sell her body to survive while Darko looks for work.

Through a series of unexpected twists we learn that all is not as it seems, and Lana must take matters into her own hands to stay alive. Incredible performances by both Oxana Orlenko (Lana) and Nickolai Stoilov (Darko) keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the film.

Movies like this prove the kind of heart that a filmmaker can put in to a story, especially outside of the Hollywood system. And though it lacks any big stars, it didn't need them. The gritty feel and superb performances definitely give Lana's Rain commercial appeal. Highly recommended.

This film is better and grittier than many dramas with ten times the budget, and there are plenty of suspenseful moments to keep even the most indie-phobic skeptic intrigued. Oksana Orlenko (who won an award in Milan for her performance) and Nickolai Stoilov are seamless as the charismatic leads, while Michael S. Ojeda's direction makes the best use of their talents and the skills of his cinematographer (Gennadi Balitski), as well as his own script.

I disagree with the one reviewer (out of ten so far) who didn't like the "execution" of this film. I think it is a perfect mix of action scenes that grab you, and intense character-driven dramatic moments that allow for time to take in all that has happened. Ojeda really captures the sense of peril one feels without a dime and no place to go. That gash in Lana's forehead on the film's poster gives an idea of how deep the film is, and the roller-coaster ride awaiting anyone who watches it. I wish I had seen it in the theater. Grade: A