A lot of conflicting experiences. On the one hand, the film certainly leaves the feeling it should have – a spirit of humility, acceptance, and judicious holiness. It sets up an internal state of prayer. But open your eyes, the monks seem like a bunch of humorists. Oh, not so everything they have, the monks have discipline and severity, so much so that for jokes in the temple and non-observance of the rules you can get a boot in the ass, not to mention penance. The film convinces the viewer of the sanctity of the main character, but he did one thing that I could not forgive him - sent an old woman to sell all the property to somehow find a husband in France. France is big, you won’t find anyone in it, except what should it do next? With an outstretched hand in the world? It's not worth it to a husband who hasn't even written a letter to her in 30 years.
The film has almost no plot, there is only a set of scenes that reveal the main character. His actions are mostly unexplained, for example, he learns that he is not guilty of what he blamed himself for all his life, but he continues to torment himself after. Why? It’s an unhealthy state, a mental disorder, and an obsessive guilt complex — yes, it can happen to a person, but the film shows self-deprecation as a benefactor. I emphasize – even after the futility of such self-reproach was revealed. The hero is used to maiming himself with guilt and self-pity, this is not a role model.
That’s not how I imagined this movie. I was waiting for the path of a man, at the end of which a miracle will happen to him, and instead a comedy about the life of monks with the image of a hero who reduces himself to the grave. But again, even as it is, the film interacts with the audience on the right note, it just could have been done much better.