my first mamin film and saw it on ifc long ago and and love it . it seem absolutely artistic and original and fun and hilarious . not a moment in the film let me down or make me bored and and i be laugh a lot or have a smile on my face . i mean this movie be truly funny . but here the catch represent it also very artistic and creative if you do not know yuri mamin ( probably and sadly and because so many of his great film aren not available here ) he have a very original style like no one else and and for me this isn not even my favorite film of his ( right now it the insane ( saideburns or bakenbardy ) . also and i have to say a a russian and this film be great because you really do see what russian be like . and this be possible because this be a true russian film to me and not a foreign film try to be american or try to appeal while mamin do not sell out ( nor have he since and gorko ( 1998 ) be as good if not well . this be true russian style filmaking that come out of communist social realism . if you like this film and i think you have a very high chance of love mamin other film and in fact i like quite a few of them more than this one . i guess this one be his most accessible film . a similar film be fountain and take place 6 year before during perestroika and it have the same actor in the leading role and and more of mamin regular who you will recognize from window to paris while this one have one supernatural twist in the end but be mostly a realistic comedy and a great one . viva mamin and hopefully criterion will hook all of his movie up one day and he still work and and his catalog be so great . see any of his film if you can .