I love this movie so much

Please don't spend money on this.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Absolutely the worst movie.

The remaining members of the unlikely rock'n'roll outfit the Leningrad Cowboys decide to travel from Mexico to their homeland of Siberia at the behest of their manager Vladimir Kuzmin (robustly played by Matti Pellonpaa), who believes he's the reincarnation of Moses. While writer/director Aki Kaurismaki recaptures to a reasonable degree the deliciously dry'n'deadpan humor of the original, he nonetheless fails to retain the loopy charm that made the first film so special and delightful. In its place there's a more somber and subdued sensibility that manages to be fairly amusing and enjoyable in spots, but overall gives off a rather negative vibe that's a tad off-putting. On the plus side, this movie offers a neat exploration of the seedier side of Europe -- a stop over at a bingo hall in particular proves to be a definite highlight -- and the still lovably stoic and eccentric group perform several songs with commendable aplomb. A passable follow-up.

LENINGRAD COWBOYS MEET MOSES (1994) is a sequel to LENINGRAD COWBOYS GO America of four years previously, where Finnish auteur Aki Kaurismäki introduced one of his most absurd creations: an extravagantly quiffed "Russian" rock band from the wilds of Siberia, supposedly the worst band in the world, played by Finnish actors who speak only Finnish and then broken English to each other.That first film was a sort of road movie, where the Leningrad Cowboys played a series of ramshackle bars across the American South while headed towards Mexico to perform at a wedding. Unbeknownst to them, the village idiot Igor (Kari Väänänen), who aspires to be one of them, has arrived in the United States too in pursuit, and their manager Vladimir (played by the late, great Matti Pellonpää) exploited them all the way by taking their earnings for his own luxurious desires. LENINGRAD COWBOYS MEET MOSES follows closely on the action of the first film, as Vladimir reappears after an unexplained absence, having become an extravagantly bearded religious fanatic and calling himself Moses. Their former manager wants to lead the band, who have become stranded in Mexico, back to their home in Siberia. This sequel has the same general format as its predecessor, though this time the road trip is from France back through Europe to the Russian border. Vladimir has stolen something important, and French actor André Wilms plays an American CIA agent pursuing him on the road back home (his thick French accent again clashing with his character's supposed origin).LENINGRAD COWBOYS MEET MOSES is among Kaurismäki's worst films, and one of those sequels that should have never been made. Already with the first film one was just as likely to sigh at the lameness of it all as chuckle at the gags. The sequel, however, is a much more somber film than its predecessor, which mean there are even less gags, and virtually every scene feels like milking a formula. While it might be worth a try if you are a committed fan of Kaurismäki's body of work, I would be very reluctant to recommend this (or even the vastly superior LENINGRAD COWBOYS GO America) to a general audience.

This is harder to enjoy than GO America for sure. A more somber and low-key affair, with fewer jokes and even the music is more downtempo (including an amusing cheesy lounge version of "Rivers of Babylon"). But I don't think it deserves the low reputation it has... currently a 5.0 rating on IMDb, and one commenter on a forum pegs it as "comfortably Kaurismaki's worst." Comfortably AMONG his worst, but even at his worst he's usually fun. I certainly wouldn't consider it any worse than TAKE CARE OF YOUR SCARF TATIANA or his ho-hum adaptation of CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. There's a number of funny bits as he takes potshots at Christianity, phony evangelists, capitalism, and communism (the movie came out not long after the fall of the Soviet Union). Apparently half the group had left by this point, which is explained away as death by tequila, and another batch of faces is brought in. Normally this might be a big deal, but few of the band members were showcased in the first film. And it allows for the great line "Where is the Mexican department of the orchestra?" Okay, so it's not as memorable or endearing as its predecessor, but you've gotta have some love for a movie where someone steals the nose from the Statue of Liberty to take back to Russia.

I had waited for YEARS to see the sequel to Leningrad Cowboys Go America and I think it was worth the wait. When I watch the first film I tend to watch it on my own, mainly because the humour is so subtle, so slight, so strangely European that it often doesn't translate to a film you could have your pals come over and watch over beer and pizza. I find both films absolutely hilarious and compelling, but it's a style of humour where you don't really laugh out loud, it's like you are laughing inside your head. Go America chronicles their road trip to America and is in many ways more straight forward. They learn to play rock and roll music in order to get money (all of which their manager takes) and they end up in Mexico. The Meet Moses is much more bizarre.Their manager returns claiming to be Moses and insisting they have to go back to Europe, but not before he has stolen the nose of the Statue Of Liberty. All manner of people are trying to get the nose back. Their journey leads them through many strange situations, many of which are never explained and that's part of the beauty of this film makers style. You are often left confused, or frustrated and that's just fine. I was delighted that one time member of UK punk band The Members, Nicky Tesco, reprises his role as American Cousin, as his appearance in the first one was a huge unexpected bonus for me. Both these movies are well worth the investigation if you can find them, and if you ever get to see The Leneigrad Cowboys play live - you should absolutely do it- they are astounding!