If fashionable, then a mixture of remake with sequel. To begin with, I have been waiting for this film. Firstly, because I have a special love for paintings shot in Belarus. There is even a hobby: guess where a particular episode was shot. Second, because of screenwriter Alexei Dudarev. Even from school, I remember him as a delightful playwright (his plays are in the school curriculum, which already shows the level). He also wrote the script for the first part. Thirdly, I know about the theater Sergei Zhbankov, the cinema — already beloved Paul Kharlanchuk-Yuzhakov and Andrey Merzlikin. Fourthly, a video was shot for the film with the participation of the leading actors for a new version of the song “Rain” by my favorite (of course, also Belarusian) band “J:mors”. However, in the movie itself, the song for some reason did not sound, which is offensive.
By the way, the film PR is weak (there were more media representatives (my colleagues) and cinematographers at the same press screening than ordinary people), compared with foreign films, which, no matter how twisted, is a minus. But due to the episode with Nikolai Karachintsev left in this regard. It’s not surprising, though: where do you get the money for a state-run movie, right? Fun fact: when I was standing a few hours before the press screening at the cash register, next to me happened to be one famous Belarusian journalist and director Alexander Butor. The journalist photographed an advert saying there were no tickets, joking: “When will you see this again?” And yet the movie has at least some support, which is already nice.
Now let's move on to the patient, which is the script. I may be wrong, but didn’t co-writing with director and Julia Girel make the film worse? The deeply respected Alexei Dudarev gets deep stories. And here - there is a meaning, and the plot - on the surface, easier than steamed turnips. How is that?! No, of course, it is clear that the finale will be positive (the stork will arrive, etc.), but to make the essence so transparent... Where does that fit? It wasn't like that in the first part! And the heroes fall in love somehow too easily and quickly, just lightning fast - even the same Rusachenko (Sergey Zhbankov). Although, maybe I just subconsciously compare with myself, which means I can be wrong.
We will not go far for examples: take the modern continuation of the "Irony of Fate". The author of the main idea of the second part was Andrey Myagkov, but he is not even indicated in the scriptwriters in the end. At the time of filming, there were 48 variations of the script. Maybe there's more than one here, too? Half of the trailer, by the way, if we talk about the amount of material cut, was not included in the film at all. But the moments with the cow and the game of harmony of the husband of Galina Ivan (Andrey Merzlikin) are wonderful, funny. And in the final version of the tape is not included, oh!.
Don’t compare, it’s a separate movie. And the fact that the plot develops around the demolition of a village in the first part and three houses in the second part is not an element of repetition, then a remake? Bottom line: I wouldn’t call it an independent movie, rather, it turned out something in between, as it is now popular to say, a remake and a sequel.
By the way, I first read about the filming of the sequel a couple of years ago, after the death of the original director Igor Dobrolyubov. I wonder, and he would have been given to shoot a sequel if he was alive, as they gave Eldar Ryazanov “Carnival Night-2” or “Man from KaputsinoK Boulevard” Alla Surikova? However, it is not yet known whether it would be worse or better than what is now, based on the above examples.
The director. Debut in the big movie. Before that, Alexandra Butor filmed only for TV. I remember seeing her New Year’s program “Pavlinka New” a long time ago, but since it was filmed for the celebration of the New Year, for which a lot of everything is still filmed every year, it was not repeated again, because the memories quickly erased. Although, while writing a review, found on YouTube, by the way.
As a spectator, I can say that for the debut the start is confident, but it could have been even better. I wish success in the filming of "Sweet Farewell to Faith" with the same artists Kharlanchuk and Jozas Budraitis, which, by the way, was very well voiced Vladimir Gritsevsky. (If I didn’t know this, I wouldn’t believe that the Balt actor doesn’t speak in the frame!) I want the next movie to be even better!
Music. As I pointed out above, this is the "Rain" song of the group "J:mors", not included in the film itself, and the composition "White Dews" performed by "Buranovsk grandmothers" in a duet with "Sweater Boys". To be honest, I liked the first one more, but it is difficult to judge objectively, because the first one is performed by favorite musicians and actors. And the second in terms of text content is not bad at all.
Operator. Oleg Girel. I would like to complain about his work. Either I got away from the cinema in the end (mostly I watch everything at home, but for the sake of such a premiere I went to the movies!), or really with a focus in the frame were the places of problems.
Output. A masterpiece is as far as the moon. The film is good, kind, but... Simple as five cents. Or maybe it’s a good thing, on the contrary, more people will watch. Against the background of the first part (and the comparison is inevitable, and we all understand this), he is by no means loved by everyone. If you draw a parallel with the Belarusian cinema as a whole - very worthy, and if with all the other sequels and "reshoots" - generally at a high level. But that, again, depends on what to compare. I liked the humor, it was fun. The actors were delighted, saw new young faces, although there were few old ones (Why, for example, were they not invited to live Galina Polish and Gennady Garbuka? They refused? They're both still filming. And Garbuk in general is a Belarusian – then it would not be necessary to re-voice his role. By the way, congratulations on your debut in a serious role in the big movie of Sergey Zhbankov! The soundtrack is good. But I will not review the picture to “holes” for sure.
8 out of 10