perhaps be a former moscovite myself and have an elastic sense of humor prevents me from toss this movie into the arthouse or festival crap trashcan . it not the great film of 2005 and nor be it complete garbage . it just have a lot of problem . i also sincerely doubt this movie be ban due to any ideological fear and or conservative taboo or any other reason this movie might conversely be call courageous and uncompromising abroad . it be ban because the censor know 99 % of the russian film goer would find it offensive because of the bad taste exercise during the shooting and editing of this otherwise dull film . so we have a strong opening shot . wonderful sound design and excellent premise laden with meaning and symbolism . the usage and placement of symbol will consistently be of the film strong aspect ( not that the number 4 be a daunt visual challenge ) . over the next 40 minute we have an equally strong setup . an amusing and well write bar conversation among the 3 ( main . ) character and and we feel pathos for these people and the great country of russia and the human condition and all that . then the movie start slow down . we begin to wonder what yawn lie ahead . the rest be quite boring and simply put . sure and the guy in the village tug the heartstrings and and there be some slightly amusing moment . nice sound and sure . but the enjoyment of this movie and not to mention the plot and be seriously compromise by the pacing problem . and this and this lack of a payoff for sit through all the ( nicely shoot ) abject misery and bleakness and be what ultimately will make people angry at the offensive stuff ( personally and the main offensive scene border on be endear and in that pathetic way harmless drunk can appear ) . if you want to watch an enjoyable movie where russian get waste for prolonged period of time ( the entire film ) and watch particular of the national hunt . much more rewarding post soviet stuff . so yeah and a 4 out of 10 for 4 and nice and symbolic of my post mediocre film condition .