Elena is a film that's hard to talk about without giving the plot away completely, mostly because there isn't that much of a plot to begin with. It's a meticulous and brutal realist story with a brief intermission of a suspenseful, if distinctly strange, crime story.
The central conflict is between the ideas of worth and charity -- in other words, between the idealistic justifications of capitalism and communism. This is especially relevant to both contemporary Russia and the broader economic standpoint. Elena's relatives are, and this is refreshing, not your ideal welfare candidates disadvantaged by the system -- they *are* disadvantaged by the system, but they're also a little bit lazy and a little bit needy, and not entirely that likable. Elena's actions are nicely ambiguous, as she simultaneously gives and takes away, is hero and villain. This film is smarter than most in refusing to side entirely with either individual or societal explanations. Still, in the end it does seem to tip a bit too heavy towards the demonization of Elena's family -- the final shot, with the child left alone in potential danger, feels borderline insulting.
Nazehda Markina and Andrey Smirnov do an excellent job as the central couple, managing to create an air of quiet despair around themselves and especially around the two of them as a couple. Andrey Zyvagintsev makes the picture look great, but he seems to linger too much on mundanity, even for an art-house film like this. There's a fine line between being meditative and being dull, and Elena sits precariously on it. In the end, I can't help but think that this would have made a great short film but is a baggy feature. But the core ideas still shine through, so perhaps it's a success on its own terms.
The central conflict is between the ideas of worth and charity -- in other words, between the idealistic justifications of capitalism and communism. This is especially relevant to both contemporary Russia and the broader economic standpoint. Elena's relatives are, and this is refreshing, not your ideal welfare candidates disadvantaged by the system -- they *are* disadvantaged by the system, but they're also a little bit lazy and a little bit needy, and not entirely that likable. Elena's actions are nicely ambiguous, as she simultaneously gives and takes away, is hero and villain. This film is smarter than most in refusing to side entirely with either individual or societal explanations. Still, in the end it does seem to tip a bit too heavy towards the demonization of Elena's family -- the final shot, with the child left alone in potential danger, feels borderline insulting.
Nazehda Markina and Andrey Smirnov do an excellent job as the central couple, managing to create an air of quiet despair around themselves and especially around the two of them as a couple. Andrey Zyvagintsev makes the picture look great, but he seems to linger too much on mundanity, even for an art-house film like this. There's a fine line between being meditative and being dull, and Elena sits precariously on it. In the end, I can't help but think that this would have made a great short film but is a baggy feature. But the core ideas still shine through, so perhaps it's a success on its own terms.