I don't like being negative, but then I also don't like lying; truth is I didn't think much of this Russia-Ukraine cinematic collaboration. Let's start with some good points, it is visually arresting (I believe the director has made music videos before) and stylishly lit. Also, the performances of the two leads (and only real characters) are good, and the music is nice. So what is wrong with it? Well, it is a love story (of sorts) about two characters who have no depth, and so who is going to care what happens to them? He is an orphaned photographer, she a cellist; that is about all we are ever told. I find that Russian films often float in the space between fairytale and reality, which is dangerous territory for a love-story, because if it isn't real enough then we can't engage with the characters, and that is exactly the problem here. We have a pair of lovers locked in a flat together, that really is the film. The film is going to have to have some sparkling dialogue and tensions for that to work, unfortunately it doesn't. There is barely a story in the 75 minutes that the film lasts (imdb claims 90, but I don't think my DVD was missing anything), the brevity is a small mercy considering the lack of meat on these beautiful bones. The director may go on to make something excellent in the future, but to do that he is going to have to find a story to film, because there isn't nearly enough of one here.
