NO-ONE

No-One is a film that takes place against the backdrop of the 'August' coup in the early days of the fall of the Soviet Union. An independent film that delivers a style of art-house noir it builds tension with its description of sex, deception, and emotion. The acting is realistic and is on par with some of the A-Listers in Hollywood. The lead (Uncle) is the glue that holds the film together and while the supporting cast does a great job of being believable no one ever truly stands out such as him. The film does contain a lot of nudity and suggestive scenes but for an independent art house direction, it never comes off as distasteful and helps drive the plot and development of characters.

My biggest complaint would be the pacing of the film. It moves so slowly at times that it can be hard to hold the attention of the audience. While there are some moments that make you go 'oh wow' they are easily predictable and quickly forgotten by the next scene. What the film lacks it makes up for in its Cinematography. Honestly, the Cinematography is some of the best I have ever seen and at times you may think it was shot by Wes Anderson. Perfectly balanced colors and hues give way to dark and gritty textures that are perfectly blended for scenes that are meant to deliver tension. The set pieces of reminiscent of the early 90s but never go overboard and the locations are beautifully shot.

If you like Cold War-era films that focus solely on the drama without the action of a spy thriller or just love to study/experience beautifully shot Cinematography then No-One is a film you should definitely check out.

The 2018 Israeli-Ukrainian film No-One, directed and written by Lev Prudkin and Vladimir Prudkin, brings to light the grimy, unclean party of Soviet society present in the global superpower shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Amidst the distress of a crumpling political system, in which some characters are directly involved, the film intertwines marital disloyalty with the inklings of political unrest. Produced in 2018, the film is eerily accurate at times, reflecting the sad reality that would, at times, turn out to be true in 2022, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The film by itself is eerie, at times making the viewer uncomfortable with long pauses and stiff, awkward exchanges between characters. Given the circumstances of the plot and the setting, I believe this move was not only accurate but deliberate for the general feel of the movie. The directors did a fantastic job at reflecting the simmering distrust and discomfort planted within the hearts and minds of the average Soviet citizen, with concern on the horizon about the well-being and existence of the state, and of the lives of its citizens. Especially for the characters involved in politics, the presence of the unknown is almost like the Grim Reaper, present in most scenes, lurking in the background or seemingly creeping up behind the main characters, waiting to strike. In a way, this figurative Grim Reaper affects the viewer too, causing him or her to grow anxious, waiting for the scene to end, and thus relieve the built-up pressure and suspense caused by this relationship. The dim colors and often spotty light heighten this effect, this mood of death creeping around the corner, never completely out of sight. Even in sunny scenes, such as when the characters are seen on the beach, there is still a strong sense of distrust and stiffness. Again, I believe that this is a deliberate, as well as a smart move by the producer, as it really seals the deal on the discomfort the characters feel given their situation.

At just under two hours long, this movie does drag on at times, and although the effects caused by this add a layer of depth to the situation, at times the movie is unnecessarily long. The opening scene, mainly an interaction between two of the main characters, Oleg Sergeyevich, General of the KGB and his nephew Vlad, holds importance to setting the stage for the rest of the film, although it seems excessively long.

In terms of production value, and of the quality of the picture during the scenes, I feel this film does exceptionally well. Dark angles and sharp contrasts create a stark scene in almost every part of the movie. Even when the sun is out, there is not significant stress present, the producers make the setting uncomfortable, almost inhabitable. In scenes where the viewer would traditionally expect something, for example a laugh or some form of communication, this film is silent, emotionless, and dim. In a way this is presumably realistic, especially in the Soviet Union during this time. In some sex scenes, the mood is barren of emotion, sometimes just showing two naked bodies after finishing to convey the meaning of what happened instead of showing. This causes a cold feeling, almost a shiver in the spine, to see how mechanical and robotic an act like this can be when done amidst sad circumstances.

Despite the ending becoming predictable after watching about half of the movie, due to the general tone and mood of the plot up to that point, the ending still manages to emit an additional groan of pain. Like a Shakespearean comedy ending, the characters appear to get what they deserved for all of their desperate, fleeting attempts to find meaning and purpose in their crumbling life and country. In a film where power is taken rather than given, the main characters of the plot find that their happiness, it seems, cannot be taken. Despite all of their attempts to find meaning through lust, deception, and disloyalty, they all, for the most part, meet the same fate.

Interesting, longish, and thought-provoking, I enjoyed this unique and eerily-accurate movie. Although the length and boredom of some scenes detract from the overall score, the honest and wonderful camera work made this movie worth the watch. 7/10.

This movie is a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's work Othello framed amidst the downfall of the Soviet Union. The beginning of the film was hard to get into as it seemed slow and overdramatic. There are many monologues in this film which makes sense as an adaptation of a play but still they leave me waiting for the long scenes to move on.

As with other Shakespearean adaptions, there are many times where you can feel the struggle of transforming a play into a movie. The story picked up the pace about a third of the way through and I found myself laughing and holding my breath in anticipation during certain scenes. The wife is a compelling character and by the end of the movie I wondered if she was intended to be a metaphor for Russia. The husband's speech to his nephew towards the end about the wonderful nature of his wife and his disgust towards anyone who would use her for their own means held my attention and had me reflecting on this film long after it ended.

Overall, this isn't an incredibly entertaining movie for the general public but I do think it is a great film for certain audiences who can appreciate the modern retelling of an old classic. By the end of the movie I was anxious to learn the fate of the characters. I appreciated the use of foreshadowing that was highly impactful and satisfying at the end. I will probably never watch this film again but I would mention it to anyone I know that enjoys Shakespearean adaptations.

This slow thriller written and directed by Vladimir Prudkin and Lev Prudkin reads like a futuristic Cabaret. All the elements for pre WWII Berlin are in place here: the spies, the characters who are constantly performing, the depravity, the helplessness of its participants, shot with an unsympathetic understated metallic reserve.

Taking place on the precipice and then during the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the plot centers around the story of one family, also at war.

"If I lose today, I'll win tomorrow." One of the family members remarks tonelessly playing a game of cards with two women, one his fiance, and the other his Aunt (not by blood) as the world around them collapses.

The crux of the action takes place on the Crimean Peninsula where various members of the family gather in the Chekhovian countryside as the tanks also gather (unseen) on the city streets, one of the most powerful family members remarking in a monotone: "I am incognito."

The cinematography is impeccable, the set design as well, and the acting is strong. Overall the story, couched in metaphor, is almost too understated to be fully satisfying but it builds towards its final destination.

No-One is an interesting indie film, and very different than most films you will see. To start, the cinematography is beautiful, and the shots are very well shot. The story itself can be a bit confusing at times, I got lost at times balancing the political and social complexities of the film but see how it tied together at the end of the film to illustrate the fall of the Soviet Union. I would argue that the film resembles what is happening today with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the battle for Crimea. However, I'm not really sure what I was supposed to take away from the film, it appears that it was supposed to illustrate the fall of the Soviet Union, but I feel like I understand more about betrayal and scandals that didn't exactly add tons of value to my knowledge. The film could have touched much more on Russia in my opinion and why the Soviet Union fell instead of focusing so much on the social side.