In Russian. 96 minute running time so the perfect length. I really enjoyed Balabanov’s “Cargo 200” (enjoy may not be the right word, I was astonished by it) … this one was more comical, Russia in the 1990s was a terrifying place (and still is, I guess) … I probably didn’t get one tenth of the humor since I don’t know the Russian language, but I’m sure it’s hilarious. I thank John Farr for the recommendation.

“I know that Danila is often reproached for being primitive, simple and inarticulate. And in part, I agree with that. But a metaphor connected with him forms in my mind: I imagine people in a primitive chaos, who sit in their cave before the fire and do not understand anything else in their life except for the responsibility to eat and to reproduce. And suddenly one of them stands up and utters very simple words about how it is necessary to stand up for their friends, to respect women, to defend one's brother.”　－－　Bodrov

Stephen Holden on “sleepy-eyed dolt” Danila…”In the movie's most cynical joke, he emerges as both the most deadly and the most morally consistent character in a world where loyalty counts for little and brute force rules.”