the audience applauded

Perfectly adorable

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

I constantly was pinched by the exaggerated dark depiction of 50's Soviet Union and exaggerated bright referrals to western world. France and the Western block are subtly referred to as "free world", land of the freedom, etc... The subject the movie is touching is a very tough one and should be handled with care. I think the movie fails to do that and gives in into the blind anti-Soviet wave.Is "free world" France compatible with expulsion of Jews to German death-camps? Is it compatible with surrendering to Hutler w/o any resistance and support for Nazis? Is it compatible with numerous atrocities committed during colonial period?All countries should reflect on their past in a desperate attempt to prevent the past from repeating itself, but others should not be feasting on those "historical remains". The Movie could handle this better in my view.

I had watched "Est-ouest" on a French channel with movie subtitles, and I've got to admit that it's one of my favourite art films and my hatest at the same time. That was weird all along. But I wanted to watch it again since I had seen it only once. I even wanted to buy it online, but I don't have credit cards and my parents won't allow me.This movie about a Russian immigrant, his French wife and their son starting to live in Kiev is so interesting I became Catherine Deneuve's fan and I started to watch her movies at the same channel. I also had a crush on Oleg Menshikov, who played as the doctor Alexei. I realized that he and the late Sergei Bodrov Jr. memorized their French lines phonetically, and it's quite funny but true, believe me. The downfall by the way that although this is a very unforgettable flick, I think there were some errors like "Is Kiev really in Russia or in Ukraine?" The characters are so dumb... except Gabrielle and Serioja. But then, I can't blame for this. Maybe I could recommend this to myself and my art film fanatic ex-teacher.

At first, I thought that this is a comedy about those people coming from outside back to Russia, and experienced an entirely different cultural shock. It is actually a very serious movie, and it glued me to the screen for the entire two hours. It just feels so short when the movie ended. I have seen quite a few movies about the horror living in a socialist country. However, I think there should also be a few good movies that tell the other side of the story. This movie is very authentic describing the horror and fear that people live under constant surveillance. And they can not go back ever again. The sacrifice the husband made, you can have a good heart cry over this movie. If you have time, you should also listen to the directors' commentary. I think that the best part in this movie is about them going to the France Embassy of which the guard looked at their different shoes. The love, the tenacity, the emotions are just so real.

East/West bears light on the tragic outcome that happened to many emigres returning to Soviet Union in their help to rebuild it after the war. But at the same time, it just seemed that the husband/wife in this movie never had anything really solid in the first place for them to lose once they got there. I never really felt their gradual separation or the husband's shift from leaving the Soviets ASAP to building a life there.All in all, the movie still brings to light one of the dark period of Soviet history through the perspective of someone experiencing it.