Reviews

This is the most poignant movie that we have watched in awhile. Funny too! The family interaction was so incredibly... Japanese! I like the way it portrays what finally motivates a man to work. We know so many kids like Tetsuo - wish they would find someone who needs them. I think my favorite part was his Dad telling him he'd better never betray her. Poignant story, poignant music and a very poignant ending.

Our whole family gives it a 10.

At first it seemed a terribly slow start. This was exacerbated by our mistaken notion that "Oci Ciornie" was just another title for "Urga" - we kept wondering when and how they would ever get to Mongolia in that boat!

However, once we'd determined the actual story line the dilatory beginning seemed somehow apropos. Did Mikhalkov really mean to show us the emptiness of adultery? Or is he just an astute observer of the human condition? The parallels to the 1960 B&W "Lady with the Dog" (Russian) were striking. Especially the watermelon scene. But "Dark Eyes" takes the story further and carries the theme to its logical conclusion. My daughters hated it - they prefer stories of fidelity. But I did think it was refreshing for a film to come nearer the truth for a change. Adultery is not that fulfilling.

Two weak people wandering through life probably frustrating and certainly boring the life out of their "strong" spouses. Why didn't they just develop a little backbone at home?! It would have made everybody's lives more interesting! I felt like I was reading a Thomas Hardy novel and I wanted to scream or at least shake them until their teeth rattled. But I persevered until the inevitable end, "We'll find a way." ... Maybe. But since the overwhelming impression was that their adulterous passions arose out of an inner boredom with life, it seems entirely likely that that same inner boredom will eventually quench this new passion too.

Japanese AND Russian?! This is bound to be tragedy on a large scale! But incredibly it does have a happy ending - I must have used up a week's worth of adrenalin getting there! The suspense (for such a slow movie - Japanese/Russian remember?) was excruciating. This is NOT a movie for animal rightists - it's largely about fur traders, dog-sleds and wolves in Siberia. And it's probably not a movie for Americans either. It's a very Japanese Russian film. Or is it a very Russian Japanese film? I'm not sure, but daughter number three wants to watch it again and I think I'll join her. I've been in Japan too long.

We usually watch our Russian movies with Japanese subtitles but this one had no subtitles at all - so I was very disappointed to find you haven't any plot summary for this one. You know its got to be a fascinating movie when five people who don't know Russian - and one of whom despises the language - watch it without subtitles, not just once, but three times!