"Courier" - 1986
Directed by Karen Shaknazarov
Karen Shaknazarov is a USSR-Russian director who has made such soulful films as "Zero grad", "We are from jazz", "American daughter" and "Courier". Shaknazarov shows us the system and philosophy of the place where our story takes place. He shows us the world of the teenagers of that time. The adults want to understand the teenagers when teens want to live for a while without having a consistent goal in life. There is a scene in which our protagonist has dinner with a kind of "secular people". Eventually, one of the members is driven mad by the topic of "teenagers", to which Ivan responds with a simple sentence: "We will sow our wild oats and be like you". The strict and harsh socialism of the USSR has an impact on people and their attitude to life.
1986 is the year in which this film was shot. At that time, people already felt that the USSR was on the verge of collapse, which finally happened in 1991.
Right at the beginning of the story, we see what kind of family our protagonist comes from. Ivan is the main character of this movie, the world revolves around him, but at the same time he is not that important. The average middle class family where no one can suggest you a potential "nepotism" about your future and career path. Ivan realises this at such a young age. By chance, he meets a girl who has a higher status than him. Her name is Katya. She has never been surrounded by middle-class people, and even more so by middle-class boys. The audacity, rudeness and humour of Ivan make her obsessed with him. He has this kind of "uniqueness" that she has never seen before. Throughout the movie, we are full of this time when half the country is "crying", and the other half is "dancing".
During the movie Ivan gets older, understanding of how reality works does not make him disappointed or even happier, he grows up. The system works this way, and you can't deal with it. You are surrounded by people who have the same status as you. You don't want to study? Then you have the option of working as a courier or whatever. At the end we see a soldier who has just come back from Afghanistan, Kuleshov effect, romanticization, Ivan sees himself in the eyes of this warrior and the warrior sees himself in Ivan's eyes. He used to be a frivolous teenager like Ivan, but the war has completely changed his life.
I can recommend this work of art ad infinitum. Karen Shaknazarov felt it and I assume he lived it through his own life experience. Great cast, every single character was one hundred percent realised. The soundtrack was chosen in a particularly ironic way that makes it perfect. A simple story with a deep meaning, simple words that makes big sense.
9/10.
Evgenii N.
Directed by Karen Shaknazarov
Karen Shaknazarov is a USSR-Russian director who has made such soulful films as "Zero grad", "We are from jazz", "American daughter" and "Courier". Shaknazarov shows us the system and philosophy of the place where our story takes place. He shows us the world of the teenagers of that time. The adults want to understand the teenagers when teens want to live for a while without having a consistent goal in life. There is a scene in which our protagonist has dinner with a kind of "secular people". Eventually, one of the members is driven mad by the topic of "teenagers", to which Ivan responds with a simple sentence: "We will sow our wild oats and be like you". The strict and harsh socialism of the USSR has an impact on people and their attitude to life.
1986 is the year in which this film was shot. At that time, people already felt that the USSR was on the verge of collapse, which finally happened in 1991.
Right at the beginning of the story, we see what kind of family our protagonist comes from. Ivan is the main character of this movie, the world revolves around him, but at the same time he is not that important. The average middle class family where no one can suggest you a potential "nepotism" about your future and career path. Ivan realises this at such a young age. By chance, he meets a girl who has a higher status than him. Her name is Katya. She has never been surrounded by middle-class people, and even more so by middle-class boys. The audacity, rudeness and humour of Ivan make her obsessed with him. He has this kind of "uniqueness" that she has never seen before. Throughout the movie, we are full of this time when half the country is "crying", and the other half is "dancing".
During the movie Ivan gets older, understanding of how reality works does not make him disappointed or even happier, he grows up. The system works this way, and you can't deal with it. You are surrounded by people who have the same status as you. You don't want to study? Then you have the option of working as a courier or whatever. At the end we see a soldier who has just come back from Afghanistan, Kuleshov effect, romanticization, Ivan sees himself in the eyes of this warrior and the warrior sees himself in Ivan's eyes. He used to be a frivolous teenager like Ivan, but the war has completely changed his life.
I can recommend this work of art ad infinitum. Karen Shaknazarov felt it and I assume he lived it through his own life experience. Great cast, every single character was one hundred percent realised. The soundtrack was chosen in a particularly ironic way that makes it perfect. A simple story with a deep meaning, simple words that makes big sense.
9/10.
Evgenii N.