Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

one of films who seems be a form of exorcism. the theme, the violence, the search of sense, the chain of impersonal gestures , ambitions and manners to live the life. nothing new at the first sigh , because all is well known. but the film has the virtue to be more of explanation of every day events. it preserves the messages of Russan classic literature. the same fight. the same desire. the same meet who must change everything. a film about price of soul.and the great performance of Danila Kozlovski. a film about the East, but, in same fact, about survive across the easy ways for gain the success. sure, not real comfortable. but useful. for discover, out of definitions, the lines who marks contemporary fake struggle for life.

picture of a world. adaptation of a novel. search of a young man to define himself. and for understand. it can be a moral lesson, a parable, another Russian movie about cruel reality. but , in same measure, it can be an interesting film. the acting is well, the script - not bad, the message - not new but comfortable for many of viewers expectations. only special element is the violence of language but in East cinema - Romanian films are a good example - it is not a serious problem. a mirror film. not for his characters inspiring the story but for the public who discover the skin/the trash of that side of reality. Danila Kozlovsky does a decent role and the manner to present the story remains fresh and credible each moment. so, a Russian film like seed of reflection about common problems and the resurrection of a soul.

Dazzling Moscow. Max, 30, living fast, a handsome, witty, wealthy and successful businessman, expected to become the director of the Moscow branch of an international bank. "I made it in life" he says at the beginning of the film. What does he do with all that? Earn lots, spend lots: trendy clubs, womanising, sports cars, drugs, alcohol, burning the candle at both ends. Nothing is going to stop him, or is it? Enter Julya, met by chance: young, attractive, full of dreams, member of a gang of crazy revolutionary idealists who think money stinks and to lead such an empty life as Max does stinks even more. A moralising, somewhat predictable film: chaos and a dissipated life versus an orderly one, the corrupting power of money, egoism, the pointlessness of it all. Splendid acting by many of the main characters, particularly by Danila Kozlovsky, who plays Max, very convincing as a modern anti-hero. A portrait of the brightest and best snared by Russia's money and fast life, but with a good heart hidden away somewhere, which may be recovered provided they are ready to go all the way through purgatory.