Watch The Italian For Free

Such a frustrating disappointment

Memorable, crazy movie

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

"The Italian", a debut film by Andrei Kravchuk, is an outstanding film by any standard; and yet the film failed to win any major awards – not even the consolation of a Best Foreign Film Oscar. It won the minor category of Children's film award created for the purpose at Venice, but nowhere else, as if a film about children automatically becomes a children's film.Three reasons spring to mind; it was a commercial dud possibly due to lack of commercial skills of the makers; contrary to public perception, shock value and financial success rules the fate of a movie even at the top festivals where the judges are mostly the mega-stars from Hollywood and around the world; and the debut production of a young person from a poor country still on the other side of the divide stood as little chance of an award as of Castro winning a Nobel Peace Prize.So what did I find exceptional in the movie? To start with the least important, the cinematography was par excellence. The depiction of desolate, gloomy environment of Russian winter, with telephoto shots of barbed wires quivering as if in the cold air; the claustrophobic shots of vast landscape (even if done through back projection) from the inside of cars and train were awesome.The second most outstanding quality of the film was the acting, particularly by all the child actors. It wasn't just great; it was breathtaking in its realism, as if the kids were chosen from an actual asylum which they weren't. The adults had no chance to compete against such talent, but managed to perform professionally.The most outstanding characteristic of the film got to be the director, whose command in every field – music; editing; locations; camera angles; choice of lenses and suppression of any tinge of sentimentality – was evident.I don't accept it's a rehash of Dickens's Oliver Twist suggested by some commentators. The harsh brutality of criminal gangs of 18th century Britain in Oliver Twist has nothing in common with the sad declension of Russian society and morale since the glasnost. If anything, the story has more in common with the magical realism of Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude.That's why the unsentimental ending gels with the mood of the movie.

_The Italian_ is a touching film about the precious humanity of one orphaned, six-year-old Russian boy. The film has many strong points, and it is hard not to be moved by the child's desperate, purblind plight.However, the unfortunate political subtext of this film seems utterly lost on all of the other reviewers here thus far. In short, our natural compassion for abandoned children's welfare is manipulated by this movie, and the resulting impact of this film in Russia has been and will be precisely the abandonment of thousands of precious children who would otherwise have stable, loving homes. This film lies squarely in the detestable Russian tradition of using the plight of the multitudes of Russian orphans to score nationalistic political points. Note how this film would affect someone who knows nothing about the true situation of orphans in the Russian Federation. The viewer would come away feeling that orphanages are filled with greedy administrators eager to "sell children" to "foreigners"-- children who really belong in their "homeland," because, after all, the film subtly implies, the "loss" of these children to foreigners is somehow connected to the loss of national prestige in Russia. Many a nationalistic politician in Russia has made precisely this political pose, and the direct result of this has been the unnecessary, continued suffering and abandonment of untold thousands of Russian orphans. This film masquerades as a plea for children's welfare, but it has only hurt the very children it pretends to defend.I have worked in Russian orphanages. The reality this craven and ignorant film denies? The staff of orphanages are, by and large, without doubt the great, unsung heroes of Russia, and there are thousands upon thousands of desperate children whose placement in stable and loving homes has been HALTED because of politicians who push the imbecilic and inhuman chauvinistic ideology seen in this film.

In the great continental tradition, the story is told in a rather subdued and understated fashion, without so much preachy debate and shouting match as the Anglo-Americans like to do. A lesser movie maker could have easily made this into a cheap tear-jerker. Comparing to movies such as 'Cider House Rules', this one is far more 'realistic' and down to earth. You can't help finding yourself following the boy's steps or even in his jacket with his every move. That is the power of great movies like this. The French movie 'Rosetta' comes to mind. But if that is a shiny gem, this is a field of diamond! It has a sustained power that stays with you and absorbs deeper as the minutes goes by. One other great point about this movie is that people are not black and white, humanities are abound despite the harshness and cruelty all around, perhaps with the only exception of the orphan trader herself. Then again, maybe that is what it takes to make a living like that anyway.I gave 9 instead of 10 because I am not convinced that Vanya could have mastered all the necessary reading skill in that short period of time at his age (5-6). Understanding the stuff from a formal document is not the same as guessing some short phrases from a 'Winnie the Pooh's book. Of course he could be a true genius. But this 'exception' feels forced comparing to all other characters and plot elements since there's nothing else that requires ostensible exception in life - all could have really happened. Even the weather was made to appear 'natural' rather than following the characters mood in the plot like less movies would have done. I can't help feeling that those who asked why the driver let the boy go were brain washed by the 'black/white good vs evil' Hollywood fairy tales (nonsenses) for too long. In real world, most people do have hearts. And it shouldn't take a Russian speaker to figure this one out.This is not a dark movie despite its plot line seems to suggest at the first glance. The true power of it lies in the beautiful warmth of humanity in many of the unlikely places, unseemly characters, and unfortunate moments. Life can be hard for some, but worthwhile if they try hard enough.No dramatic beginning or ending here. Everything just happened. But of course, all the details are there to make it all feels so natural and smooth. That's what the masters do.

Somewhat dull Russian film touches on a few poignant topics centering around a young orphan's adoption dilemma, but rarely achieves the emotional pull it should have. Mainly taking place inside and around an aging orphanage, the initial introduction to the gentle dynamics inside this home feel mediocre at best. Whether most performances lacked charisma, the poor translation from the Russian script, or an unhealthy disconnect between audio and video synchronicity made the film more of a bore, I'm sure it was a combination of the three which effectively rendered most potentially moving scenes lukewarm.The Italian, on paper, reads with noble intentions. But played out, the film feels surprisingly melodramatic and manipulative. The film's main actor, a young boy named Kolya Spiridonov, may look the part but cannot carry the demanded weight. Springing from uncomfortable post-editing, there usually feels like an unintentional eeriness surrounds the boy while observing his performance. The pain one abandoned child would harbor is completely relevant to this story, but Spiridonov clearly has not been given enough coaching to prepare for the part, and instead it feels like the filmmakers substituted one negative emotion for a less authentic one.Picking up a considerable amount once our young star actually proceeds to undergo his brief journey, it is already too late in the act to start building momentum that was needed earlier. It all amounts to one of those unfortunate circumstances where a heavy, underlying relevance found in potent themes ends up being trampled by incompetence, either from the misguided direction, technical miscalculations, or all around award-pandering mentality this surprisingly insignificant foreign film offers.