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To me, this movie is perfection.

That was an excellent one.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

This movie is bad. It was badly written (also by Ryazanov) and badly directed. I love some of Ryazanov's earlier movies and thought he only couldn't do "serious" non-comedy stuff, like "Dear Yelena Sergeyevna" or "Predskazanie" ("Prophecy"). This movie shows Ryazanov's comedies are getting worse, too. The direction and camera work are slow, the drunk shtick is the same as in his "The Irony of Fate, or Happy New Year" of 25-30 years ago, Ryazanov can't act very well but took a bigger role than usual for himself, etc., etc. I saw him talk about this movie in Minneapolis, it was simply sad to see the movie after all he told the audience about it.

Ryazanov's latest caper features an adulterous wife, a slow-witted military husband and a never-ending string of lovers ranging from poets to ornithologists. Set in 1914, the plot centers around Aglaya and her latest interest caught in the act by a drunk poet. The three are trapped in a gorgeous apartment and the poet might just know who she is... Reminiscent of Chaplin's silent comedy, the movie is a great farce draped in gorgeous Art Noveau decor. Not much to think about, but great visually and completely hilarious in a somewhat idiotic way.