Lana's Rain

This was an intriguing suspenseful movie with a great soundtrack. Excellent photography. One of my favorite shots is just after the main characters have traveled to America in a ramshackle shipping container and open the doors to.... well I won't spoil it for you. Some words that might be used to describe this film might me; gritty, shocking, captivating, metamorphic, gripping, and resilient. It combines elements from many film categories like, action, suspenseful and historical dramas, a real thriller with a dark transformation plot.

This is the tragic story of Lana who was betrayed by her own brother. But just when things seem bleakest for Lana, her hope for a new life.... well I won't spoil it for you.

Take the time to find it and see it.

Lana's Rain is a really great example of what's right in today's independent cinema. This is an original film that examines the political strife in post-Cold War Eastern Europe the difficulties faced by immigrants in modern America. But it doesn't stop there: Lana's Rain also looks at the Eastern European criminal underworld, and its affects on refugees in America. It also takes an unflinching look at the horrors of prostitution, through the eyes of original characters in this fascinating genre piece.

The story is told through a familiar genre: the action/crime picture, but this isn't some Tarantino knock-off or film noir wannabe. Michael Ojeda's debut takes a real daring step by having Eastern European actors speaking in Croatian for much of the film! In an age where too much dialog is dumbed-down by Hollywood and when foreign films are poorly dubbed by producers, it's refreshing to see an American director using language the way it was meant to be. Ojeda keeps the action flowing neatly, while getting us into the lives of these characters. We end up caring a lot about these people.

As for the cast of unknowns: they are uniformly excellent. I heard that `Lana' Oksana Orlenko, won the best actress award at the Milan Film Festival. No surprises there! She's immensely talented, radiating pathos and a raw sensuality from the screen. When more people see this film, I'll bet movie goers will fall absolutely in love with her!

Bottom line: don't le me describe this film for you.SEE IT!

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 movie was not bad .. It fulfilled the requirements for a film marking a foreign lady - main charachter (Lana) incompetent in her efforts to change in America at first. Her sustained psychological traumas and tribulations are just the icing on the cake before she passes the test to mark the grade of survival to the fittest in America - Chicago, Illinois to be specific.. Good Feature. I'd give this a 7.5 on a scale. Video rental is reccomended, and dont rush out unless you're a chicago native and want to glance at interstates , congestions and license plates unique to modern Chicago

Jonathan

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??