This is a great movie for parents who have spoiled kids. They will savor the methods of the long-lost father (away for 12 years) to teach his two sons something about self-respect and being a man: take them on a wilderness camping and fishing trip.
If you have a chance to view this film in a theater, by all means see it while it's being screened. If not, find a friend with the largest big-screen TV and ask if you can view it at his house. The scenery, apparently shot somewhere in the northern parts of Russia or Siberia, is absolutely enchanting. The director seems to be a master at filming scenery.
The plot is based on the return of the father of a family after 12 years of absence. There are few clues about the reason for his absence (one always suspects a sentence in the Gulag), even fewer about his reason for returning. He takes his two adolescent sons on a camping/fishing trip. Along the way they encounter the apparently typical teenage street ruffians that rob people who are unable or unwilling to defend themselves.
The wife (and mother of the two adolescent sons) plays her role in the background. She comforts the younger son in an early scene of the movie, dutifully plays her role at dinner with the long-lost father, and upon retiring for the night displays a not unexpected "where the hell have you been expression."
The younger child is the one more troubled. One could sense if from the opening scene where he didn't dare jump into the water from a high platform; he seemed to be smallest of the group, so his reluctance is understandable. Anyway, he seems to be the clever one, always questioning, especially the actions of the father. His expressions of disgust and questioning of his father's motives are compelling.
The camping/fishing trip reveals the main purpose of the father. An unexpected incident near the end reveals to us the purpose of the father's return.
NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW
There are a couple of discontinuities, people entering from right when it should be left, but it doesn't detract from the message of the film.
You must see this film.
If you have a chance to view this film in a theater, by all means see it while it's being screened. If not, find a friend with the largest big-screen TV and ask if you can view it at his house. The scenery, apparently shot somewhere in the northern parts of Russia or Siberia, is absolutely enchanting. The director seems to be a master at filming scenery.
The plot is based on the return of the father of a family after 12 years of absence. There are few clues about the reason for his absence (one always suspects a sentence in the Gulag), even fewer about his reason for returning. He takes his two adolescent sons on a camping/fishing trip. Along the way they encounter the apparently typical teenage street ruffians that rob people who are unable or unwilling to defend themselves.
The wife (and mother of the two adolescent sons) plays her role in the background. She comforts the younger son in an early scene of the movie, dutifully plays her role at dinner with the long-lost father, and upon retiring for the night displays a not unexpected "where the hell have you been expression."
The younger child is the one more troubled. One could sense if from the opening scene where he didn't dare jump into the water from a high platform; he seemed to be smallest of the group, so his reluctance is understandable. Anyway, he seems to be the clever one, always questioning, especially the actions of the father. His expressions of disgust and questioning of his father's motives are compelling.
The camping/fishing trip reveals the main purpose of the father. An unexpected incident near the end reveals to us the purpose of the father's return.
NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW
There are a couple of discontinuities, people entering from right when it should be left, but it doesn't detract from the message of the film.
You must see this film.
