The Italian
by Andrey Kravchuk
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Actor: Denis Moiseenko, Jurij Ickov, Kolya Spiridonov, Mariya Kuznetsova, Nikolay ReutovDirector: Andrey Kravchuk
Brand: Sony
Cinematographer: Aleksandr Burov
Editor: Tamara Lipartiya
Producer: Andrei Zertsalov
Producer: Olga Agrafenina
Writer: Andrei Romanov
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Russian (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen, 1.66:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-05-22
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Reviews of The Italian
DVD Review: A beautiful depiction of ones desire to find his rightful home...
Summary: 4 Stars
I've wanted to see this movie for quite some time, for it encompasses two things I've very passionate about (that would be European film and the growing problems with child placement). I finally had a chance to watch this movie last night, and I must say that it is truly moving. There are so many heartwarming, as well as heartbreaking scenes within this film that will choke up even the sturdiest of manly men, for whose heart doesn't melt when peering into the eyes of a child?
`Italianetz' tells the story of young Vanya Solntsev, merely six years old, who is living in an orphanage in Russia. He is given the rare opportunity of adoption when an Italian couple comes to see him, falls in love with him (he is utterly adorable) and proposes to take him back to Italy with them. He has a few months before the paperwork will be done, and in the meantime a desperate mother comes to the orphanage looking for her son. Her son though, has already been adopted, and she is sent away empty handed. This gets the wheels turning in young Vanya's head as he wonders what would happen if he goes away with this couple and his mother comes looking for him. He wants to be with his biological mother so badly that he puts his safety in danger by running away to find her. This causes uproar within the orphanage, for the Italian couple has already paid for Vanya. This spurns a desperate search for his return, and this means that Vanya will have to work fast in order to find his mother before the Madam finds him.
The film is gloriously moved along by some splendid performances and some even better cinematography that captures the gloomy air permeating the conditions these youths live in. The scenes within the orphanage are marvelously constructed, and the interactions between the children and the staff are brilliantly portrayed.
Young Kolya Spiridonov is wonderful as Vanya; giving him such natural concern and wonderment. We can totally see this young mans yearning for answers, his desire to be reunited with his family. Olga Shuvalova is also wonderful as Irka, the pretty young streetwalker who befriends Vanya and helps him the best she can in his quest for his mother. Denis Moiseenko has the difficult job of playing a sympathetic villain, for he plays the leader of a small gang within the orphanage and he is responsible for disciplining young Vanya when his dreams of leaving the orphanage interfere with the lives of the other children. His explanation to Vanya of his own home life is devastatingly moving and sincere. Mariya Kuznetsova (who plays the Madam) delicately exposes the desperation that comes from poor living conditions and economic decline as her material needs cloud her judgment.
What impressed me most about `Italianetz' was the masterful camera work and use of muted, yet rich colors. Everything is dark and almost eerie, yet in a richly almost vibrant way. Nothing seems gritty or gruff, but all the colors, as dark and ominous as they are, are polished and crisp. This is especially effective in the opening scene where the Italians are guided through the fog by a mass of children. This particular scene sets an early tone for the film.
My only complaint here is that the films ultimate preposterousness tends to take away from the impact the film should have on someone. It is a very moving and emotionally stirring film, but one cannot help but draw the conclusion that it is all far too saccharine to be remotely possible. That's why I enjoyed the first half of the film so much more than the second half, for the interactions within the confines of the orphanage are marvelously real and raw, but once Vanya leaves his home to find his `home' the film takes a detour towards schmaltzville. The final frame, in my opinion, dropped the film down a small notch, for it ending the film on a rather bland note. Yes, it was sweet and sentimentally satisfying, but so unrealistic that I wanted to cry, because up until that point I had so much hope invested in this film; for I really thought it was going to be perfect.
Should you see this movie? Most definitely! It is beautiful in many ways and ultimately unforgettable. Could it have been better? Most definitely! It had a lot of potential to bear a more honest conclusion, given its blatantly honest beginning; but one cannot complain to heavily for `Italianetz' is still a very moving and touching film that will leave you very satisfied, if not even a little enlightened.
Description of The Italian
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