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Load of rubbish!!

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

First saw this movie in its first screening, and being just a kid, I cried with all my heart. 17 years later I managed to remember the title, rediscover the the movie and watch it again. To be honest, I actually had to open an IMDb account just to give this movie 10 stars. The acting is just superb. The story is truly heartbreaking but manages to radiate the little boys tenderness in a way you will never forget. The parallels are endless. The scene where the little boy follows the prison truck will always remain in my heart. Just watching this masterpiece changed me forever and I think that only a Russian director and cast could create such a masterpiece. Only people who lived the Stalin era would have the dare to give us such a story. If you have to see one film this year, well.... this is it.

Pavel Chukhrai does not belong to any list of "Notable" film directors of Russia,nonetheless he has shown some amount of flair through his meek direction and screenplay in drama"vor" a.k.a."The Thief".The movie is centered upon three characters- a widowed woman, with her little child who envisages his father every now and then and a charming but rakish officer to whom material gain matters most.Like some other hailed Russian movies it deals with grim picture of reality with no magical finishing touch.It certainly won't make you cheer or applaud but will move you a bit that's for sure.Both acting and cinematography has been brilliant,Though editing and sound mixing could have been better. Acting of Misha Philipchuk as 6 year old sanya is priceless. Flying colors of European cinemas with highest possible proximity to realness are depicted through the wonderfully done cinematography. Watch it,it won't cost you much !

This Russian flick painfully captures the stark realities of Soviet life as felt by the commoner. People are forced into communal housing where privacy is unknown. Likewise they are forced into the unthinkable in order to exist. The paternal prevarication that Stalin strangles his people with becomes the emblem of this story, conflicts and contradictions that must be faced and coddled in order to survive. The unjust notion of love is seen here as an unconscionable glue, binding our characters together for better or worse, and for worse is the usual case in Soviet Russia. The acting was solid on all accounts, from the piercing emanations of the "heroic" soldier to the open-hearted stare of the mother's "squirt" of a son. Though the production values are occasionally weak, this only adds to the desperation that has become the permanent guest of this expansive land. Further explication of this flick's special qualities would be a fruitless affair as its many special attributes must be seen to be appreciated. Merci beaucoup.Genruk of Evil Eye Reviews

I can't say that I'm a big fan of Russian movies, but there are some that I really do love - this is one of them. The fact why I do love these "some" movies is this "russian-only" bitterness and rough reality that these movies contain. I really did like all the characters in the "Vor" - each one of them represented some angle of human nature - trust and dependence as opposites to hate and insensibility - qualities that we all do have, but somehow manage to pretend that we don't. Also this movie has a really sentimental atmosphere, that makes you think about different things in your life and maybe even rearrange your system of values. As for me - I thought about love and the fact that love doesn't arise from our actions or qualities...and so it does not vanish according to them. There is such love that is between man and a woman as well as between a child and his parent - love that just IS, love that is beautiful in it's unconditionality. I really do recommend this movie to everyone who thinks that he/she can appreciate quality entertainment.