Gancaar baatar
The whole story of this film tortured good and evil of human nature in Russian society. The film begins in a dilapidated building where a man with a tattoo beat his wife and daughter because he could not find his case-dough. This building is the home to a group of desperate bottom-class people whose lives revolve around drug, alcoholism, quarrels, gambling and domestic violence. Suddenly, the heating pipe of this dilapidated building busted. Plums include Dima ran over to check, but found a more serious problem. This building's foundation was slowly collapsed and skewed, whose body has cracked two gaps. This building, which may be collapsed within 24 hours, is home to more than 800 households. And then, late at night the actor Dima hurried to put on his clothes, out of the house to the mayor's birthday party. With hands on the jacket pocket, he walked firmly on the desolate road, no turning back. Such a section shows the young fool, who is an ordinary person taking ordinary wages and self-learning architecture, bear a taste of the heroism. The behavior, which he walked in this way, is equivalent to embarked on the plot that an unimportant person fight against the total putrid social system of "no return", aiming to rescue the bottom class residents. Through some relationships, Dima found the mayor of the town, as well as the relevant ministers, and told the situation of the dilapidated building. After investigation, these corrupt officials admitted that this building was about to collapse. However, in the face of human life and interests, those corrupt bureaucracies had made a brutal choice.The film plot reverse several times, meaning that the story was falling into a darker situation. The Dima's intention to save the inhabitants gradually was evolved into a group of politicians fighting, those who were originally singing the praises of each other politicians, but instantly tore skins, shirk the responsibility, ignoring 800 lives, and even assassinated two officials in their gang.The film reveals the director attitude is very ambiguous, or a very pessimistic treatment. At the hazard of his life, Dima called down all the inhabitant from the first floor to the ninth floor of the dilapidated building. However, the first reflection of the most people was not Thanksgiving, but doubt. And then the most brutally beat Dima hardly. The irony was that the next one to the battle was also hurt. The director hinted that the resident in the building was indeed hopeless, and was too obstinate to be awakened on the brink of death. Finally, Dima was helpless abandoned near the dangerous building which would collapse. From three aspects to I would discuss the film to show my thoughts. Firstly, talking about the dangerous building, in where the vertical and horizontal cracks spread from the ground, like centipede plated outside the building. In fact, this dilapidated building can be considered as a mirror map to reflect the corruption, decline, emptiness and darkness of the government system. As for the tilt of this dangerous building naturally had not been repaired repeat, not to mention that the collapse of the national system was underway. Secondly, talking the bureaucrats, whose dress splendidly and squander at the Mayor's birthday party. Government placement costs were swallowed by the officials, while the bottom due to the system's irresistible force stepped into extinction. It is not difficult to imagine the direction of the national conditions of the whole country, irresistible sense of trembling hit in audiences' heart for a long time not to retreat. The corrupt bureaucratic system would lead to the brutal assassination from each official, which had been demonstrated in the plot that Dima witnessed and almost was killed in a dirt thing that the female Mayor shirked her responsibility by killing the head of architecture department and the head of fire department, who were the victim of political struggle.Finally, the bottom of the people's ignorance and insensitivity lead the audience to despair and chilling, who are the real "The Fool". In the dark of the community, the money right was first. Their children still like them, continue to curl up in the dangerous building to die. But the people living in such a bad situation, it is not only because of officials, but also their inaction Generally, the dangerous building, Numbness of the ignorant people and the brutal bureaucracy who escaped responsibility in this film, while there is also the kindness and courage of Dima, proves that Russia's society currently has too many dark sides which in China can be occurred.
Reno Rangan
It was another Russian film just like the Oscar nominee 'Leviathan' that highlighted the corruption in a city administration, except it had no depth in its narration like that one did. A simple tale that takes place within the 24 hours, but strongly told. From the domestic violence to the political targets, the film extraordinarily portrayed its each character and some of theirs double-cross. Besides, it discloses what the higher and lower class expects from each other, like it is already in order and those who disturb it will be seriously get affected.When a public utility worker Dima Nikitin finds an enormous crack in an apartment block, initially he ignores it, but later thinks something terrible going to happen. As his duty, he notifies the higher ranked authorities in the middle of the night when they were partying. At the time when it was going to be declared emergency in the town and to take all the precaution measures, the tale takes a twist that changes the fate of many who were involved in the matter. So the dark side of the story comes into the display.Showcasing Russia in such a bad light really hurts if you're a Russian. More than that, the outsiders judging a country from what the film depicts is very sad. It was neither true story, nor inspired by the true story, but this kind of things happens in every other countries. More or less the experts agree with the film to the present state of the Russian political landscape. It was financially co-supported by the ministry of culture that tells us they're going tough against such action. So this film was received well from all the quarters thinking such kind of portrayal might lead to transformation in the struggling society."A fish rots from the head down. If I am tainted, then so are all of you."In this, the main event was given the prime focus than any of the film characters. That's why the happy or the sad ending won't matter. But there was a character who was preferred the most for his involvement in the plot. In the meantime, it also followed other characters to add more complication in its narration and the story to get going. Overall, it was something like a chain reaction that began with a domestic violence and moved to the public service till it reached its highest end, I mean the head of the each department and the politicians.What the film's end was outlined is something the negative side of the society. The lack of the knowledge of the lower class families and the negligence of the civil servants is the reason for most of the tragedy that could have stopped before it to happen. The title is a metaphor for one who unnecessarily raising his voice in a matter where others were being quiet. All the above, knowing what's coming at you and taking an improper way to tackle it is what's going unnoticed. Unless every citizen join hands to fight against the corruption, this thing will go on.The film totally captures our attention. Obviously a slow start, but you could have not expected the way it ended. I haven't seen a single Russian film at the recent time, but very pleased with this. It was a double strike, delivering a message as well as a fine story for a film who seek only the entertainment. In some way, it was so much simpler and better than that Oscar nominee I mentioned. Because unlike that film, in here majority of us who always root for a particular film character mostly won't end in disappointment. That's the cleverness of this narration. If you had liked that film, then you should not miss this film as well.7½/10
tmdaines
The setup is fairly simple, during a violet domestic dispute about stolen money that serves as the film's prologue, a water pipe bursts. The whole scene underscores what is to come: a tale of a corrupt society teetering on the brink of disaster socially, economically and politically.The hero of the film, Dima, the "durak" (fool) of the title of the film, is a bright young plumber on the way up in the world. After inspecting the damage, he soon realises that the burst pipe is merely evidence of a much larger issue: the entire block of flats is falling apart and will do so in 24 hours. While this should have been rectified during regular renovations of the building, the funds to do so were skimmed off the top by the local head of the housing organisation.In response, Dima goes right to the very top of the provincial town in an attempt to save the lives of the occupants. Is anyone going to be motivated to act, however, if they have already been bleeding the system dry until now? Perhaps covering their own backs will prove the only motivation.A brilliant film: one where you truly don't know whether to laugh or cry. From my time in Ukraine though, I dread just how accurate this slice of modern small town Russian life is.
