Lilya 4-Ever
3.5/4
Starring: Oksana Akinshina, Artyom Bogucharskiy, Pavel Ponomaryov, Lilya Shinkaryova, Elina Benenson, Lyubov Agapova
Rated R for Strong Sexual Content, A Rape Scene, Drug Use and Language
"Lilya 4-Ever" is a tough, tough movie. Almost unremittingly bleak with only a few magical moments of levity, and even those are mostly under a grim shadow considering the context in which they occur. The saddest thing is that the protagonist's story happens far too often in real life.
Lilya (Akinshina) is a 16 year old living in Estonia. She's elated that her mother's new boyfriend is taking her and her mother to live in the United States. She brags to her friends Natasha (Benenson) and Volodya (Bogucharskiy) about how excited she is and what life will be like. Then her mother drops the bombshell that she and her boyfriend are going alone and will "send for her later." Right. Her aunt Anna (Shinkaryova) doesn't care about her and makes her move into a much crummier flat, and Natasha betrays her. Only Volodya stands by Lilya. With no money, she is forced to prostitute herself. Just when things couldn't get any worse, she runs into a handsome man named Andrei (Ponomaryov), who offers her a lift home from the club. He doesn't want sex, but instead takes her out on a date. Volodya has a bad feeling about Andrei, but Lilya is certain that he is who he says he is (or at least is willing to believe it). Then Andrei says he has to go back to Sweden...
The performances are just about flawless. There's no sense of artifice in any of the acting. Of the cast, Akinshina is the best. The film rests on her shoulders, and she delivers. It's all the more impressive considering it was her second performance and she and director Lukas Moodysson had to communicate through an interpreter. Lilya is a normal girl in hellish circumstances, yet she does what she needs to do to survive. It takes one second for us to get on her side. Her co-star, young Artyom Bogucharisky (in a debut performance), is excellent as well, filling the function of Lilya's best friend, little brother, confidant, and voice of reason. Bogucharisky is excellent because he is neither too cute or too precocious. The third member of the cast, Pavel Ponomaryov, is handsome and sweet enough to fool Lilya, and make us believe that he's genuine, although he doesn't have as much charisma as one would have hoped.
In style and content, "Lilya 4-Ever" bears mention to "The War Zone, which was released 3 years prior. Both are shot on extremely low budgets with digital video, and have a "you are there" quality to them. While "Lilya 4-Ever" doesn't have quite the same impact as Tim Roth's masterpiece (the film doesn't ask as many questions and concentrates more on narrative), there are times, particularly at the end, when it comes close. The film's third half is extremely painful not because of what happens but because of how Moodysson films it. It is a visceral experience.
Moodysson adds a little "magical realism" to the second half, and it has mixed results. On one hand, it works from a storytelling perspective (except for it's first appearance) and it adds a much needed element of hope to the proceedings. On the other hand, it looks fake (no doubt the film's low budget had a hand in this).
Like many films that are so difficult to watch, it's hard to persuade people to see it. But as a critic, I must be forthright and honest: this film is punishing to watch, but extremely powerful. If this sort of thing appeals to you, then this movie is not to be missed. If not, watch it anyway.
Starring: Oksana Akinshina, Artyom Bogucharskiy, Pavel Ponomaryov, Lilya Shinkaryova, Elina Benenson, Lyubov Agapova
Rated R for Strong Sexual Content, A Rape Scene, Drug Use and Language
"Lilya 4-Ever" is a tough, tough movie. Almost unremittingly bleak with only a few magical moments of levity, and even those are mostly under a grim shadow considering the context in which they occur. The saddest thing is that the protagonist's story happens far too often in real life.
Lilya (Akinshina) is a 16 year old living in Estonia. She's elated that her mother's new boyfriend is taking her and her mother to live in the United States. She brags to her friends Natasha (Benenson) and Volodya (Bogucharskiy) about how excited she is and what life will be like. Then her mother drops the bombshell that she and her boyfriend are going alone and will "send for her later." Right. Her aunt Anna (Shinkaryova) doesn't care about her and makes her move into a much crummier flat, and Natasha betrays her. Only Volodya stands by Lilya. With no money, she is forced to prostitute herself. Just when things couldn't get any worse, she runs into a handsome man named Andrei (Ponomaryov), who offers her a lift home from the club. He doesn't want sex, but instead takes her out on a date. Volodya has a bad feeling about Andrei, but Lilya is certain that he is who he says he is (or at least is willing to believe it). Then Andrei says he has to go back to Sweden...
The performances are just about flawless. There's no sense of artifice in any of the acting. Of the cast, Akinshina is the best. The film rests on her shoulders, and she delivers. It's all the more impressive considering it was her second performance and she and director Lukas Moodysson had to communicate through an interpreter. Lilya is a normal girl in hellish circumstances, yet she does what she needs to do to survive. It takes one second for us to get on her side. Her co-star, young Artyom Bogucharisky (in a debut performance), is excellent as well, filling the function of Lilya's best friend, little brother, confidant, and voice of reason. Bogucharisky is excellent because he is neither too cute or too precocious. The third member of the cast, Pavel Ponomaryov, is handsome and sweet enough to fool Lilya, and make us believe that he's genuine, although he doesn't have as much charisma as one would have hoped.
In style and content, "Lilya 4-Ever" bears mention to "The War Zone, which was released 3 years prior. Both are shot on extremely low budgets with digital video, and have a "you are there" quality to them. While "Lilya 4-Ever" doesn't have quite the same impact as Tim Roth's masterpiece (the film doesn't ask as many questions and concentrates more on narrative), there are times, particularly at the end, when it comes close. The film's third half is extremely painful not because of what happens but because of how Moodysson films it. It is a visceral experience.
Moodysson adds a little "magical realism" to the second half, and it has mixed results. On one hand, it works from a storytelling perspective (except for it's first appearance) and it adds a much needed element of hope to the proceedings. On the other hand, it looks fake (no doubt the film's low budget had a hand in this).
Like many films that are so difficult to watch, it's hard to persuade people to see it. But as a critic, I must be forthright and honest: this film is punishing to watch, but extremely powerful. If this sort of thing appeals to you, then this movie is not to be missed. If not, watch it anyway.
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