I finally saw this movie, and I am glad that I did. The storyline has been described by many already, so I won't go into it. It held my attention from beginning to end. I loved the landscapes of the old USSR. The life depicted in this movie seems very realistic, and the acting is SUPERB by all three main characters- Sania, Katia, and Tolian. They are very natural, not acting at all. The suffering is heart wrenching and seems almost unavoidable. What would a single mother do to raise her son in the 1950's in Stalinist USSR? She takes the opportunity, regrets it after a while but cannot really break through. Ekaterina displays the mixed emotions beautifully without going over the top. Same with Vladimir who plays the soldier aka Thief. However, the most amazing performance is given by Misha, the little boy who plays little Sania, for 90% of the movie. His piercing blue eyes, his happy smile and his tears stole my heart.
A must see if you want to see a movie that touches your soul.
A must see if you want to see a movie that touches your soul.