Loveless

Audience Reviews

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George W Mar 26, 2019 the reason of the life and death, love

Kylo G Dec 28, 2018 Depicts modern life at best when a couple is on the verge of a divorce with unwanted child; feelings of resentment and hatred from the mother towards the father who blames him of ruining her life. A deep portrayal of modern life and relationships and its detrimental effect on children. See more

Hermione G Dec 7, 2018 If you ever want to completely reverse gears emotionally, go from watching a Frank Capra movie to one from Andrey Zvyagintsev. The premise to Loveless is straightforward; a boy goes missing as his parents are going through the process of a bitter divorce, and neither is interested in custody of him. Itâ(TM)s incredibly bleak and brutal, and itâ(TM)s hard to fathom just how uncaring these parents are. They act like this poor kid is an inconvenience, which is hard to watch, so beware if this sort of thing is a trigger for you. The scene of him standing behind a door and listening to them not only argue but do so in a way that reveals how little they care for him is heartbreaking. The film can feel like a punch to the gut, but I liked its honesty, as well as a few other things: - The stunning pictures of the trees and river in winter that start the film. My god, I could just sit there and watch these on a loop. - The exploration into love by its absence. We see that both people are in new relationships which have been going on for some time, and on the surface think, well they are at least capable of love and tenderness under better circumstances. But with the man, we see him confess (at least by not answering the question directly) that heâ(TM)s had many other women along the way, and the woman is so often concerned with her phone and taking selfies, not wondering at all about what her child is doing after school or for dinner. There is such selfishness here, and it spurs the realization that real love requires not only compassion, but some amount of sacrifice. In the womanâ(TM)s toxic relationship with her own mother, we also see how some of this is passed down by generations. - The subtle criticisms of the Russian administration. At different points in the movie we hear snippets of news reports over the radio and TV, and each reveals a little glimmer of authoritarian rule controlling the press. For example, there is a story talking about why people may expect to see the press be curtailed, because theyâ(TM)re pushing fake stories of an upcoming apocalypse which may drive Russians to drink, and in this sentence referring to the â~people of Pushkin and Putinâ(TM). As Pushkin is revered as the father of modern Russian literature, to put Putin alongside him is odious. Later thereâ(TM)s a fragment of a story on the corruption of an opposition party candidate, and we also see the invasion into Ukraine from the Russian stateâ(TM)s perspective. Itâ(TM)s so fitting that at the end, as a news story from Ukraine is on the TV with people wailing in distress, she goes outside and, wearing a jacket with Russia emblazoned across the front, begins running on a treadmill. The fact that the man works at a company that requires its employees to be happily married with children, and that divorce needs to be kept a secret is also telling. - That search crew, which is so well organized. Perhaps in the fact that they are volunteers we can find a small ray of hope for humanity. See more

Hagrid P Dec 5, 2018 How to be the worst parents of the world in ten steps. Between 2 and 2.5, because the movie, apart from the dramatic initial point and the description of how a boy is looked for when he disappears, does not tell much more. See more

Abraham L Nov 4, 2018 This mesmerizing movie manages to provide both a realistic and heartbreaking story while also providing sharp and subtle social commentary about life in Russia. See more

Theodore G Oct 24, 2018 A Russian couple is struggling. She seem very angry, he seem careless and they are both having affairs and are just waiting to end they're marriage. They have a kid, a boy at twelve, and sadly, they bearly know him. He lives at home, but he only finds hate and stress there. One day he never returns. The parents must work together to get him back - a task that's not easy. This is a great take on cold marriages. The hunt of wanting so much more without fixing things. It's presented with lovely, cold imagery. Stunning photography matches the dark atmosphere and brutal story. I also like som of the neat alternative camera focuses the director uses. Solid acting and a great pace as the search for the boy intensifies. Andrey Zvyagintsev has been a favoite for years. "The Return" is still my favorite of his, but this one is up there with "Leviatan" and "Izgnanie". At the same time I feel he is becoming better with each movie. They feel more complete and he's directing feel stronger. 8 out of 10 bases. See more

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Loveless

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