This is not a great film, but it's not as awful as the stars it's got. It's loosely based on the same events as the HBO series, but comparisons are pointless - the tone and approach are completely different. And while the HBO series wasn't documentary accurate, this one is even less so - often completely fictional and regularly quite silly.
But it's still interesting enough - especially to see a modern Russian interpretation of the USSR during that period. Some shots and ideas were engaging. The lead actress' performance was great (as it was in Sputnik) - I hope to see her in a lot more movies.
Unfortunately it fails to make the main characters believable or likeable, so in the melodramatic moments I really didn't care. If that aspect had been more successful then the dubious history may have been better received.
But it's still interesting enough - especially to see a modern Russian interpretation of the USSR during that period. Some shots and ideas were engaging. The lead actress' performance was great (as it was in Sputnik) - I hope to see her in a lot more movies.
Unfortunately it fails to make the main characters believable or likeable, so in the melodramatic moments I really didn't care. If that aspect had been more successful then the dubious history may have been better received.