I recently watched the series Your Honor. It has long been going, because the main role in it belongs to Oleg Menshikov, famous for his selectivity in choosing scripts for shooting.
And this is the first time I've been with you that I can't make a definitive assessment of what I've seen. On the one hand, this is an exciting movie, keeping in suspense, perfectly shot (a separate respect for camera work), with a strong cast, high-quality musical accompaniment, a rapidly developing plot from the first frames of the film. He pulls into his funnel literally from the first frames of dramatic events, crime, disassembly of clans ... And the trigger was a reeling judge, trying by any means to save his only major son from bandits.
Figuratively speaking, the structure of this spectacle reminded me of a domino-built figure that begins to crumble from the push of one knuckle, capturing an increasing range of action. And I confess that watching this is very interesting, but detached, trying not to “notice” some of the inconsistencies in the script, trying not to analyze them. And if the purpose of the creators of the series was a spectacle, then they succeeded 100%!
But I always want truth, honesty, if you will. But that didn't work out. There are no such luxurious interiors in the courthouse in a small provincial Russian town. And somehow cuts the eye gypsy settlement hive, more like something Mediterranean. As for the declared honesty, principledness, incorruptibility of the judge Mikhail Romanov, it is somehow impossible to believe, looking at his vehicles and villa. And the position of the judge itself suggests that in this place there is a person who knows how to analyze, weigh, calculate moves, who has connections. And influence. And the hero of Menshikov endlessly makes spontaneous decisions, starting with his deadly scare of the criminal authority Razin, to whom he could block the oxygen with one click, well, the phone to deprive for sure. And getting rid of the car simply does not stand up to any criticism. And you can continue these incidents for a long time.
And most importantly, the spectacle turned out well, but with bread, that is, with moral and moral values - quite sad. It turns out that the lives of innocent people are worthless when the salvation of the only son is at stake. You can also sell your soul to the devil.
As for me, Oleg Menshikov made a mistake this time with the script. A prime example is when even high ratings are not an indicator of humanity and empathy.
All! I swear to watch the remakes of the series with an interval of one and a half months!
I watched the domestic TV series “Your Honor” after the American version of the Israeli series “The Judge”. I haven’t seen the original series yet, so I can only compare it to “Your Honor,” which has not been erased from memory. Therefore, the Russified version at first looked with tension, since the plot, although somewhat different in detail, still stumbled on the spoiler in each episode. And so the effect of surprise was lost, and there was no suspense. Although the authors diligently pumped this suspense, accompanied by the sounds of continuously viscous monotonous music, surpassing the source by the number of scenes of violence, sparing no bullets. But, “the further into the forest” is the subtitle of one of the series – the further the plot moved away from the American model, and the psychological drama of the American family on Russian soil turned into a criminal action movie. In short, our "Your Honor" was cooler than the American.
Frankly, when I first heard that the Russian version of the series “Your Honor” starred Alexei Serebryakov and Oleg Menshikov, I immediately thought that the role of judge will be exactly Serebryakov, and Menshikov will play a criminal authority. He looks a bit like Michael Stulbarg.
If the hero of the series with Brian Cranston in the role of a democratic city judge from New Orleans I clearly liked; he and his son Adam caused my sympathy and sympathy, then in a polished judge from a certain Black Sea town played by Oleg Menshikov I immediately suspected a fraudster. Perhaps because I live in the Russian Federation, where the reputation of justice and justice in the last decade has sunk below the plateau. Perhaps because easily refusing a $100,000 bribe, Judge Romanov sits down in his glittering Mercedes and drives down a picturesque serpentine to his spacious villa, amid subtropical vegetation. I do not believe that all this real estate and movable property was purchased only on the salary of judges. Moreover, in the family there is another cool car – the same “Lendrover”, on which his son (Vladislav Miller) made a fatal collision with a motorcyclist in the first minutes of the first series. This is an accident and will serve as the basis of this tragic story.
Shlomo Mashiach himself took part in writing the script of the American version – the author of the Israeli series “The Judge” together with the famous Peter Moffat. Our screenwriters Ekaterina Mavromatis and Maxim Romantsov and director Konstantin Statsky, who adapted the plot from texts in English and Hebrew, did not set themselves the task of accurately transferring the collisions of family and criminal drama from overseas to Russian soil.
What do the main characters from the two series have in common? Michael is an American and Michael is a Russian. Both have a mother-in-law, the mother of a deceased wife. Both, having learned about the accident, take their son to the police, going through valid reasons that justify the impact – an asthma attack in their son and the loss of an inhaler. But after learning that the downed motorcyclist is the son of the head of a criminal group of white citizens, both, as experienced lawyers, understand that now the son will get a vengeful father in prison. Russia and the United States are similar in this: the police are corrupt. And, willy-nilly, both set foot on a slippery slope. They try to get rid of the car as quickly as possible. In Louisiana, you can negotiate with a gang of blacks, in Russia - with a gang of gypsies to simulate car theft. But both young "hijackers" fall for nonsense. This is where the differences in the story begin. And the remake ceases to be a similar arrangement of events. After all, in Russia, the father of a motorcyclist has been in a city prison for a year, moreover, he is sitting on the sentence of Judge Romanov. And his youngest son, in the collision, was not killed, but is in intensive care.
Both in behavior and character they are completely different people. Soft, wise, fair and reserved Michael Desiato of New Orleans likes to run in sweatshirts to "clear his brains." Stretchy and ambitious Mikhail Romanov is at odds with his mother-in-law and is more concerned about the growth of his career, transfer to the regional center. He's a widower, but he's about to have an affair with a young woman who's starting a lawyer (Alexandra Ursuliak). However, in America, the judge had a similar sympathy, and there and here the criminal case was conducted by an astute woman investigator. In our Primorsk in this role Olga Tumaykina.
The entourage of the capital of the southern state of Louisiana, long divided into areas of residence of wealthy whites and neighborhoods of the African American poor, does not raise questions. But the location, as they say, the Russian series consists of only questions. If this is the southern coast of Crimea, where is the state border across the river? And with which state is this border? The border with Ukraine is much further north. If this is the Krasnodar Territory, then beyond Adler, the border with the self-proclaimed Abkhazia. Is it from there, from the black-bearded bearded vending machines that live in the catacombs, Russian customs officer Oleg (Rostislav Bershauer), a friend of Judge Romanov, transports drugs to local gypsy bandits? Some not very politically correct situation in the light of Russian geopolitics of recent years.
The interiors also don’t quite match my perception of the spaces of judicial and police institutions in the Russian province. After all, the city of Primorsk is a district center. However, even here the courtroom is so spacious that the capital court would envy it. We have seen a lot of meetings in these institutions in recent years. Such courtrooms can only be found in the Palace of Justice in Paris. For some reason, the walls in all the present places and offices are decorated with polished panels of valuable wood. About the mansion where the main character lives, I have already mentioned. But the local gypsies crowded in some labyrinths of birdhouses "by the blue sea."
In our series, the father of a downed motorcyclist, although he has been sitting for a year in a local prison, in relatively comfortable conditions, but keeps under control the activities of the urban underworld. While the father is in the cell, his eldest son Kirill (Daniel Vorobyov) is in charge of business. This character is truly frightening with his quiet insidious manner of talking and awkward oblique walk. His rival, Gypsy Baron Harman (Gio Pica), is also a villain! The ill-considered and, sometimes mean, actions of Judge Romanov will cause a whole series of tragic clashes in the city and a real war between local bandits and gypsies.
I will not produce spoilers myself again, and I will say once again that the Russian series “Your Honor” is best watched without knowing either the American or Israeli source. Then he will surprise you, capture, drag you and sometimes scare you to shivers.
I fell for viewing by rating, I have not seen Oleg Menshikov in the work for a long time, in fact he drew the series. He played the role of a father, especially a father. According to the plot, two clans “work” in the city, their confrontation is absolutely far-fetched, in order to confirm the main line of the series. The trouble with Russian TV series is maintaining the format of 8-12 episodes per hour. If ‘Your Honor’ had been shot on Episode 4, everyone would have won. The love line does not cause any emotions, I do not believe. The story and the ending are very good. The young actor Vladislav Miller plays surprisingly well, I liked Victoria Poltorak. And I think it's wrong to compare the series to Brian Cranston and ours, two different films. I really liked the camera work, as well as the location.
I started watching with enthusiasm. By the end of the series, enthusiasm had died out. He's a bluff and a bluff. Even the gypsies could not find the real ones. Have you ever seen them alive? Tough, tortured, unreasonably drawn-out close-ups with the disgusting play of all the actors. It looks like it was on your knee. However, for REN-TV this is not surprising. There were no aliens just now. Yes, apparently, we are not able to make adaptations of other people's TV series. Fat two.
Usually, when I like a movie with reservations, I write all the reservations immediately - I start with criticism! This is exactly the case. So that it is not so: 'I liked, but! ...', but on the contrary it was that: '... but liked!'
I had very high hopes for this series. First, because of a non-trivial collision; and secondly, because of Menshikov with Silver. I expected to see a duet confrontation between two in their own way ambiguous characters, each of whom is simultaneously justified, because each of them acts in the interests of his child, and hate, because because of their actions suffer and even die strangers.
My expectations have been met... But not everything. Not everything. Moreover, at one point I was even close to being disappointed in the series, but more on that later.
In fact: duet-confrontation Menshikov with Serebriakov on the screen, unfortunately, I did not see. Moreover, the character of Serebryakova in the series generally paid very little attention. There, on his behalf, his eldest son acts, and I really liked this negative hero! The murderer of a sad image. Artist Daniel Vorobyov - namesake, you need to remember. I think he was brilliant.
Members... It's not for me to judge him. I still think his best role is Legend 17. In second place is Pokrovsky Gate, in the third is Weary of the Sun (the first, what else?). In all other roles, he is Ostap Fandorin. And here... of course, everything is not so bad here, but still from this image you want some deeper emotional return.
In general, the filmmakers seemed to be betting on the overall atmosphere and bending. The series has very few lines and almost no dialogue. But emotions can be played with your mouth closed! Even blindfolded! Even with a bag on his head! Here not only Menshikov - here all the artists seem not to play: and the son, and the psychologist, and the investigator, and the lawyer, and the border guard, and even the gypsy is the main evil ... as there is - Harman , V. Looks like it was a director's setup - well, bad, so that's what to say! Not everyone has such emotionless silent dryness. Cyril is very good, the investigator goes, the psychologist - insofar as the lawyer does not go, the border guard especially not. Of course, not the puppet theater, but ... overdried! We've got the kebab over the coals! The meat hasn't burned yet, but it's not juicy anymore. Or play bad. You can't tell!
By the way, for this reason or for what other, but the judge and his son are not one team. Here, oddly enough, criminal and Cyril are the team, and these are not. I didn't like that either. You could have played differently without breaking the drama! It would be even sharper. The show has a highlight, but no pepper. Or maybe, on the contrary, the pepper of the series was so burning that it burned all my taste buds, and I ate it already like a carrot.
Anyway, there was something missing in him! I watched one episode for two weeks when the film was on Channel One. By the middle of the day, my eyes were so monotonous. I'm not that tired, I just wanted dynamics or something, movement. And then the arthouse is just something - people in real life do not communicate like this, do not behave like this. And from the dreams of the heroes at the beginning of each series I am tired.
I couldn't wait for the move. And don't wait. But! In the last series, I experienced such a steep dramatic shock that my eyes climbed on my forehead. In the flashback in the bathtub in general, in my opinion, too much is not good with naturalism - what I have strong nerves, I hid in a blanket and almost crawled under the sofa. Maybe it's nothing special for someone, but I can't look at it. God be with him, that's not the point.
The denouement in the last series - essentially what it was all about - exonerated the series in my eyes! All right, all right. The dramatic basis, of course, limps - in fact, it was enough not to whine: "How I want everything to end soon!", and instead just say aloud one phrase: "Father, you know ..." I haven't told you everything!
And yet, when the work is created according to the canons of Russian drama (no gun on the stage wasted), I immediately kindly applaud, forgive any flaws and give high marks. I recommend watching the series.
Before I saw the ending, I wanted to put 6. The final added two points to the score. If the second season comes out, I will wait and watch. If not, don’t, we can end the story. And even better, instead of the second season, make a full-length film! To throw out all dreams, to shorten the lines of lawyer and investigator. I don’t like it when they do it, and I think it would be right here. What about copyright adaptations to this case?
8 out of 10
P.S. The music to which a motorcyclist rides in the first scene of the first series is divine! It’s a pity that it doesn’t sound much and rarely throughout the series.
Surprised. This is not an adaptation, but an almost completely reworked original script. And it was brave, because just repeating a successful project would be easier. But the creators took a chance and the story turned out to be even more twisted and unpredictable. Respect.
Not bad, and the actors are excellent, that Menshikov, that Serebriakov. Maximum dramatic tone of the film, including musical design, and without "lights". The outcome is unexpected, discouraging and puts everything from head to foot, but the “hypostasy” accepted by the judge in the end spoils everything, detaching from reality. Anything is possible, of course (forgetting of guilt, lack of punishment), but the viewer sometimes needs justice, at least in the movies! Well, you shouldn't have sculpted an "avenger" out of him, it's a fantasy overkill. A person who has lost honor no longer evokes sympathy or respect.
I don’t like the series in general, but I watched it.
I haven’t seen the original or American version of the show. Advertising on TV is the only source from which I learned about the series Your Honor. Therefore, I consider this picture as a separate work. I would like to note that there are a huge number of TV series and films that are merging with successful foreign projects. But few of those adaptations in which the initial credits indicate the source. So, about the series itself.
From watching TV series, I am always repelled by their duration and love of creators to stretch successful projects for a large number of seasons. When I started watching Your Honor, I initially made it clear to myself that if I got bored, I wouldn’t even watch 8 episodes. If there is no end to the story in the last series, I will not watch the sequel.
The series is intriguing from the first minutes: while his father (Oleg Menshikov) refuses money and announces a guilty verdict, his underage son (Vladislav Miller) knocks down a motorcyclist and leaves the scene of the crime. And then the feeling begins to arise in my head that our Judge is still not so correct as he positions himself, otherwise where does the child (even a 17-year-old) have the car keys? And further into the woods...
For the features of our country, the series is adapted quite well. If you don't pick on the little things. On the screen there is a rich and clear picture. The manner of shooting is quite acceptable, although at first the camera turns from a horizontal position to a vertical one were not quite clear. In general, it is worth noting that I could miss any shortcomings, since I was more interested in the storyline.
The series lacks what Russian (and American) filmmakers love very much, namely:
1. police officers with phenomenal memory, attention to detail, logic and deduction like Poirot and Holmes combined, able to combine family and work, always succeeding everywhere, capable of putting any authority in place. Not police officers, but superheroes. Polyakova did not cling to the blood on the leaf. She forgot her. She doesn’t have a perfect relationship at home. We don’t see it, we don’t introduce new and, in fact, unnecessary characters. But we feel it from conversations;
2. no unnecessary storylines. The authors of these 8 episodes really put only what we need to know. Yes, all heroes have families. Everyone has family. Everyone has friends. We can see that, but they don’t really affect the storyline. That is, we understand that every hero lives in society and communicates with others. But at the same time, we are not involved in their interpersonal relationships and do not tell long unnecessary backgrounds of the acquaintance of the characters, who owes what to whom, how much they did for each other, etc. Accordingly, at the end of the series, there is no need to complete a large number of storylines;
3. criminal bosses who jump and brandish weapons as soon as they are pointed at by a camera. Yes, there are weapons. Yes, there are drugs. But it's not a priority. It is important for both parties to protect their own, it is important to show that they are the protection and support for those under their control.
4. hero and antagonist. In almost all modern TV series there is a victim, a hero and a villain. And the emphasis on these roles is so strong that from the first minutes you can predict how it will end and who is who. When watching the series "Your Honor", you do not want to sympathize or empathize with anyone. In principle, the logic of each character is extremely clear, and this is what forms the entire atmosphere of the series. A father-judge is trying to protect his son. Father Razin is trying to avenge his son. Investigator Polyakov is trying to keep order in the city. Everyone follows their own personal motives.
In summary, I can say that the series lacks most of the clichés that we are used to in the genre of criminal, and this is already quite a plus. I'm not saying they don't exist. Just when you look at them, you do not dwell on them, since their number is not critical.
I liked acting. I do not follow the lives of actors, their words and behavior. I appreciate their performance in the film solely by their work. The characters in most cases turned out to be restrained, but at the same time emotional. The emotions and behavior of one of them become clear only during the last dialogue between the father and son (for the sake of this ending, it is worth watching the series, it turns the original opinion about some of the characters of the film). I especially want to highlight Daniil Vorobyov: he managed to show the whole range of emotions and experiences as a secondary character. Menshikov and Serebriakov are in their places, perfectly played their roles. Daria Ursuliak does not sympathize with me as an actress in general, her character turned out to be the same as in all other films.
The plot keeps in suspense until the end of the story. I read opinions that there are few episodes, that we know little about the main characters, that we know little about the secondary characters, that much is not explained. But for me in this regard everything is almost perfect. What difference does it make in which school Anton is studying and in which class? What does it matter to us where and who the mother-in-law was? I'm not interested. The main thing for me, as a viewer, is how the main conflict of the series ends. The storyline has a logical conclusion, which means I am happy with the viewing.
8 out of 10
If you like specifics and actions, if it does not matter to you who surrounds the main characters, their past, present and other "tinsel" advice to view. The series leads one storyline and does not deviate from it. At the end of the review, you will forget almost all the minor characters, but you will get the answer to the main question. The duration of the series will also please: if it was longer, there would be more water. If it were shorter, the already small timing of what was happening would become incomprehensible from the point of view of 'And how did they all manage?'
If you prefer to watch soap operas and TV series with an endless number of episodes, you want to know everything about the characters, down to the names of animals and what their dentist’s names are, you will not like this series. There are no detailed descriptions, transcripts, riddles, conjectures. There are no affectionate and tender relationships, long bed walls and romantic confessions. You are provided with bare facts in each series. Heroes do not reason, do not analyze half a series, do not make plans. They work.
Even if there is a sequel, for me there is a finale and a logical point of the series Your Honor. I am not interested in the further development of the fate of the heroes.
Keeping in suspense, the film attracts attention with high dynamism. And now about the advantages and disadvantages of the picture.
Undoubted advantages:
First, a decent acting game. Many have done well, I will not list. I especially want to highlight Razin Jr., who was played by Vorobyov. I had never known such an actor before, but he really showed great professionalism, creating a very bright and memorable character. This is because the character is secondary. And, of course, the master of cinema Menshikov perfectly coped, Romanov had to worry about it.
The second, as mentioned above, is dynamic storytelling.
Thirdly, a good emphasis on suspense, which makes the series Your Honor a good thriller.
Fourthly, the picture seems very complicated and voluminous, because it raises several questions at once, and when searching for answers to them does not leave the viewer indifferent.
Now the flaws.
The presence of Serebryakova in the film, for example. After his "high" statements about his own country, I do not perceive him at all. Here he appeared in 2-3 series, glimpsed, on the side. He probably got a lot of money for this game. And in his place could be someone more conscientious, for example.
Some plot lines are weak, do not get the proper denouement. For example, the relationship of a school psychologist and Anton. It is clear that this was introduced to show that the guy is trying to share what happened with someone, seeks spiritual intimacy, but this line simply does not work. It's ragged and a bit goofy. And why the school psychologist walks around the school in a squirrel is also somehow unclear.
Due to the fact that the series decided to make extremely dynamic, many lines turned out to be crumpled and kind of unopened, including the love line of Romanov and Dina. I think it would be better if the series stretched by 10.
General.
The series shows that sometimes trying to do “the best” leads to terrible consequences. Gradually, the snowstorm that arose due to his actions rolls down on Romanov. You can understand him, he wanted to protect his own man, the only one he had left. But by what means... His friend Oleg is not particularly sorry, as well as all those who were involved in criminal porridge, because, stepping on the path of crime, you need to understand that this is your conscious choice, you are at risk.
But behind all these showdowns, who, whom and why shot down, not everyone noticed the main thing: Judge Romanov is extremely lonely, he is just alone. In every sense and from every angle. I felt very sorry for him.
The series is tough, and this is its decoration.
Anyway.
Decent, very dignified.
To serve honestly is not to bother about anything?
A judge must adhere to high standards of morality and morality, be honest, preserve personal dignity in any situation, cherish his honor, avoid anything that could diminish the authority of the judiciary and damage the reputation of a judge. . .
A judge shall not use his status to obtain any benefits, services, commercial or other benefits for himself, his relatives, friends, acquaintances. . .
Code of Judicial Ethics
"To serve honestly is not to bother." Such a simple and so true rule of life. Follow him and no sorrows can overcome you. These principles were once guided by Captain Blinov. Border officer from the Soviet blockbuster Vitaly Melnikov. In 1986, he made the film Marry the Captain. For the mind and for the heart, the test of maturity. To human maturity. Either that or not. Conscience is the standard. You look and you learn. You think, you fuck. Yours? Are you just as ready to build a life? Scoundrel, scoundrel, owl, downhill. Not on the way.
The series "Your Honor" and begins, in fact, with exactly the same truth. The man is a flint to the viewer's attention. No doubt. No fear in him. Doing business and not making a name. Every day straight. Just straight. That's why the appeal of others is your honor. Respect. Honor. Adoration. A little authority. The identity is here. A judge is a person. Not otherwise. Is the status that high? Not only that. Maturity of mind must be present. Wisdom with crystals of light should shine in words, deeds, deeds. Justice is a guarantee. Punish? Mercy? Everything is according to the letter of the law!
This is a character suggested by the director of the series for observation. Research in eight hours of storytelling. What is the life of the rulers of fate? How are they? Their units among the masses. They're merchandise. Elite. Color.
Russia. Our days. The "provincial" judge is the drama of revelation. Isn't it exhausting? Lawyers, prosecutors, prosecutions, defenses, debates, controversies, jolts of words in the bustle of evidence? It's going to make you dizzy. Precious, I suppose? Not at all. Come on, who's gonna take it? What did the author do in this work?
The intrigue isn't rocking. Move. Is there a limit to the framework? Oh, okay, never? Do you measure all in one yard? The law - the order of unquestioning! It was said - To serve honestly, not to bother about anything! Follow - do - perform! It's all business! So it is, of course... But. There's one thing. If his own son, if the child falls into a binding, will he extend his hand or let everything go as it should?
What's up? What should I do? Do you have the same principle?
The character of Oleg Menshikov wriggles in an attempt to shield his son, save him, “excuse” as it is customary to say today. And the more effort he puts in, the more he rocks the boat. The sorrows only multiply. People get dirty, people get blood. And the lives of others are being paid for. Where does the curve lead? What the outcome will be. There are criminal aces, authorities are involved in the idea. And there was a case for them.
The intrigue of the tape is not limited to obvious things. The ones you see, the ones you hear. A woman who has passed away into the world, a manifested, annoying mother-in-law. Why is she here? Decoration? Von? Another paint in the mantle wearer's portrait? What about the son who wakes up every day in a nightmare? What inspired this revelation of Morpheus? What pitfalls are hidden from viewers’ eyes? The further you go into the forest, the more wood. . .
The director built an organic epic in the spirit of these days. A well-coordinated acting ensemble is a trusting concert behind the scenes of vanity, which we ourselves create for our own good. I care about myself. Just me. Realistic? Believable? It is. In my opinion, somewhat clamped in the game "main violin". Eternal turbulence imprinted on him. Throughout the timing. Maybe, of course, that's how it should be. But hyperbolization, but exaggeration, in my opinion, is still excessive. But so is the offspring. The rest is quite a spectacular epic.
So what? Do you want to be honest about anything? Now try to answer yourself.
The judge must adhere to high standards of morality and morality, be honest in any situation. . .