A masterpiece of social critique. The acting and directing are flawless. An Andrey Zvyagintsev film, it tells the story of a kid who disappears in the midst of his parents going through a divorce. Zvyagintsev is not subtle about anything here, his movie is incredibly purpose-driven and as such it is a sad and accurate depiction of a decaying marriage or a marriage that should have never happened. Eventually, and using the plot as a vehicle, it becomes a criticism of the current state of the Russian middle-class and society in general. An important and devastating character study.
"For all the deadened souls who throng the tale, the telling could not be more alive."
— Anthony Lane
Zhenya and Boris are going through a vicious divorce marked by resentment, frustration and recriminations. Already embarking on new lives, each with a new partner, they are impatient to start again, to turn the page – even if it means threatening to abandon their 12-year-old son Alyosha. Until, after witnessing one of their fights, Alyosha disappears.
Other
1 nomination
"Loveless's most crucial images are either captured from the ground up, trees spinning against the sky, or left in rooms and cars recently abandoned, attentive to the sudden quiet and pushing through windows for a closer look."
— Eric Hynes