REVIEW: DVD Release: The Return

Film: The Return
Release date: 4th October 2004
Certificate: 12
Running time: 110 mins
Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Starring: Vladimir Garin, Ivan Dobronravov, Konstantin Lavronenko, Natalia Vdovina
Genre: Drama
Studio: UGC
Format: DVD
Country: Russia

Arriving back at the place you departed from returns you to where you started your journey. But sometimes we have no choice in the matter. For the two boys, it is difficult to perceive whether the scenario presented in the film is one they would ever want to re-visit again.

One day, two bothers Ivan and Andrey, run home after fighting each other in the street. It is when they get home that they make a startling discovery: their father, estranged for many years, is now at home and asleep in bed.

In the coming days, Ivan (Ivan Dobronravov) and Andrey (Vladimir Garin) embark upon a trip with their father (Konstantin Lavronenko), primarily to give them a chance to fish together. Unsurprisingly, the boys are a little unsure of how to treat this man who has re- entered their life. The awkwardness soon gives way to tension, however, when the father’s unorthodox methods and harsh punishments are made apparent.

Lurking behind all of this is Ivan’s querying of whether the man is even their father at all…


The viewer accompanies the trio on their short yet eventful journey, which lasts for the duration of the film. And while we are invited to study the three characters, and the scenario in which their relationships both flower and fragment, there is an enigma that follows the story around incessantly. This enigmatic narrative unfolds slowly, patiently, always ensuring that the viewer is intrigued. The mystery over the validity of the father figure haunts the film, and is given extra weight due to the fact that these are doubts seen from the point-of-view of the two boys. The plot could also be viewed as a series of challenges for Ivan and Andrey, set- up by their father. As they encounter these obstacles, sinister traces emerge, which darken the tone and unsettle the audience.

Visually, The Return is utterly hypnotic. Andrey Zvyaginstev’s film possesses a distinctive appearance, achieved through exquisite framing, and a blue hue that pervades each shot in the film. Combined with the long takes that allow our minds and senses to dwell on certain sights and images in the film, the aesthetics of The Return reinforce the enigmatic nature of the narrative. An additional facet in Mikhail Krichman’s cinematography is the incorporation of landscapes. What is noticeable about this use of the landscapes in recurrent wide-shots is that it underlines the sense of loss and uncertainty, by depicting the characters as being overwhelmed in size by their surroundings. Furthermore, this cinematography is sometimes painful in that it conveys a rich form of beauty that cannot be fully enjoyed or embraced because of the inner turmoil shared between the trio of characters.

Yet, despite this lush presentation of the surrounding landscapes, it is still the characters and the story that dominate our attention. By combining the two, and still keeping a firm grasp on storytelling, tone and its examination of Andrey, Ivan and the father, Zvyaginstev exemplifies his skill as a filmmaker. Each character leaves an impression on the viewer: the father’s darkness and austerity; Andrey’s willingness to allow this man to become a father figure; and Ivan’s angst and cynicism, justified or not. The way in which the three individuals interact and co-exist in the different rural areas rivets the audience, showing bonds and divisions unfolding between them in a manner that is so understated it is almost entirely composed of silent gazes and telling and expressions. As a result of this quiet, ponderous tone, the viewer is more startled and convinced of the strength of feeling in the film when emotions do burst through the surface towards the end.

Eventually, the film depicts an implosion of the unusual, shaky unit created by Ivan, Andrey and the father figure. Anger, passion and resent all erupt into a breathtaking climax.

After the conclusion of the film, the audience is left with a morose impression, prompting us to question the meaning of what The Return has shown us. However, it should be recognised that one of the qualities about this film is that it provides much more than just a solemn viewing experience. It constructs a tale in which two boys are placed in a difficult situation that mutates into a wholly undesirable one. Given the closing shots, it could be suggested that this film is a lyrical, brooding coming-of-age/ ‘rites of passage’ drama, regardless of how clichéd it may sound. That said, The Return is perhaps too complicated and profound for that label. It is perhaps better viewed as rumination on childhood and growing up, illustrating how events and circumstances that we have little control over can manipulate and change the direction of our lives. It is that idea of life, and its habit of becoming swiftly relegated into memory (and how memories hover over and haunt us like ghosts), which lingers on the mind most prominently when the credits begin to roll.


Pretty and hazy like a daydream, yet unpredictable and agonising like a nightmare, The Return is a quiet and calming film on the surface that coils itself around you on the inside, refusing to let go. Not to be missed. BN

REVIEW: DVD Release: The Edukators

Film: The Edukators
Release date: 26th September 2005

Certificate: 15

Running time: 120 mins

Director: Hans Weingartner

Starring: Daniel Bruhl, Julia Jentsch, Stipe Erceg

Genre: Crime/Drama

Studio: UGC

Format: DVD

Country: Germany

“Sie haben zu viel Geld,” or “You have too much money,” is the audacious claim of the self-proclaimed “Edukators” of the title. Passion is an integral quality; both in the complexities of romance and in the enthusiasm with which the male protagonists maintain their idealistic beliefs.

Its documentary-style quality and cinematography fit perfectly with the grungy, mysterious work of Jan and Peter, otherwise known as “The Edukators”. They carry out intricately planned and fairly harmless, but nonetheless criminal, activities at night which involve rearranging the interiors of the homes of wealthy people, and leaving a note informing the owners that their “days of plenty are over.”

When Peter’s girlfriend, Jule, is evicted from her house owing to unmanageable debts, she convinces a reluctant Jan to allow her to seek a small revenge on the man whom she owes the money to. It inevitably ends in a horribly convoluted mess that they cannot escape from.

Enlisting the help of Peter, this results in the abduction of the owner of the house while they think of how to solve their dilemma. The subsequent scenes find The Edukators becoming the educated, as they discover that they may not be so antithetical to the people whose houses they invade. The protagonists are thrown into a tangle of emotions and discoveries, which forces all of them, including their wealthy captive, to rethink the very foundation of their values and lifestyles…


The premise of the film sounds incredibly grave, and a little self-righteous: a couple of preachy anti-capitalists forcing their basic Marxist views onto innocent people. The hostage, Hardenberg, makes the point that it is his right to make money, and for that he should not have to apologise. This statement could have derailed The Edukators’ entire ethos for the audience, however, the characters’ insolent idealism and passion for their cause are more than enough to make them extremely likeable. They are unlike many other cinematic representations of young adults as they are not materialistic, selfish and lazy. Despite the impracticality and romanticism of their ideas, at least they have established beliefs, which are in fact reminiscent of major movements at the time of Hardenberg’s young adulthood. Jan, in particular, is a captivating character, full of poetics and philosophy – this draws the attention of the female audience members, and unfortunately also of Jule, his best friend’s girlfriend.

Romance in the film is a constant presence, which, without doubt, appeals to the audience. The obvious attraction between Jan and Jule is evocative of an archetypal Hollywood ‘love triangle’ narrative. However, the emergent temptation between the characters is much more subtle and delicate than usual and, typical of the protagonists, the situation culminates rather differently to audience expectations.

Ideology is scattered with hesitant romance, making this a very accessible and enjoyable film with which Weingartner attempts to both entertain and encourage fervent dedication in the audience. Even if The Edukators do not make much of a dent in their revolutionary endeavours, they keep trying right to the closing scene. They don’t have it all figured out, but who does? They occasionally contradict their own morals and values, but who doesn’t? In a particularly philosophical monologue by Jan, he talks about the impossibility of happiness in the people who buy into the system he hates so much. Although he is ranting about capitalism, his speech could well describe himself and his friends. They are never fully satisfied or content, which leaves the audience somewhere between sympathy and pity.

Their boisterous assertions that the consumerist, money-driven lifestyle of their targets won’t last forever is thrown back at them as Hardenberg leaves them realising that it may not be practical to live as rebels as they age. However, preferring to think of the present rather than the future, the choice to think about changing their ways is a barrier for both parties. Weingartner achieves a sort of catharsis through its exploration of the consequences of living at either end of the materialist spectrum; the audience is left thinking about the concepts of right and wrong, justice and blame.

Perhaps the most memorable line is left, oddly, to the least articulate of the protagonists, Peter: “It's not who invented the gun, but who pulls the trigger.” Despite the consistent cynicism regarding contradictions within both sides of the conflict, the film stresses the importance of not just having opinions and principles, but doing something about them.


The enthusiasm and charm of the characters wins over the audience in a film which is the perfect combination of mainstream accessibility and art-cinema expressiveness. SJC

REVIEW: DVD Release: 5 x 2

Film: 5 x 2
Release date: 12th September 2005
Certificate: 15
Running time: 90 mins
Director: Francois Ozon
Starring: Valéria Bruni-Tedeschi, Stéphane Freiss, Géraldine Pailhas, Françoise Fabian
Genre: Drama/Romance
Studio: UGC
Format: DVD
Country: France

What would be the five defining moments of a great relationship? This is the question explored by François Ozon in his 2005 love story 5 x 2 (Cinq Fois Deux). Five critical moments in a relationship between two people, and how they shape it from its inception to its demise.

The film’s five scenes are presented in reverse order, beginning with Marion (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) and Gilles (Stéphane Freiss) at the end of their relationship going through the ugly motions of divorce, and then proceeding back to a hotel room for an even more uncomfortable last sexual liaison before parting for good.

Next we go back to a dinner party with Gilles’ brother and his male partner, where the guests reveal secrets of their past infidelities, and where Marion and Gilles’ son is a toddler. Then at hospital for the birth of their son (for which Gilles is notably absent). Then the night of their wedding, and finally the moment on a summer holiday when the relationship first begins.


Playing the story out in reverse is a technique we’ve seen used before in Gaspar Noe’s Irreversible and Christopher Nolan’s Hollywood hit Momento, and it’s particularly effective here. When we first join the characters, we are not yet emotionally invested in them and so observe the relationship impassively. We see the years of compounded bitterness and regret in their body language, and wonder how this couple who clearly still care for each other could ever have reached this stage? It’s this curiosity on our part that is the strength of the film. Over the course of the 90 minutes we learn exactly where and when the seeds of doubt and mistrust have been planted, and how they’ve grown and eroded over the years until that first (final) scene.

While the scenes are reversed, the dynamic of the action remains fairly straightforward - the film playing on the fact that often the most tumultuous events in a relationship are those at the beginning. Telling the story backwards gives us a sombre beginning, a turbulent middle and builds to an elated finish as the couple first meet and marry. The later scenes (detailing the beginning of their relationship) also carry an added weight because we’re privy to the knowledge of how they’ll eventually play out. They say that hindsight would be a wonderful gift to have at the time, well in 5 x 2 the audience is granted that gift.

The two leads are superb, with Stéphane Freiss completely believable as the arrogant, controlling Gilles, mesmerising as he recounts a story of an orgy at a dinner party while his wife squirms in embarrassment next to him. Valeria Bruni Tedeschi‘s performance as Marion is a study in subtlety and a pleasure to watch. In the same scene, her face is a mask of controlled despair, eyes shattering behind an impassive façade as Gilles gleefully recounts the story.

Ozon and Emmanuèle Bernheim’s screenplay is beautifully reserved, the dialogue touching and occasionally brutal, while the surefooted camerawork achieves genuine intimacy without ever feeling intrusive or voyeuristic.

Ozon has commented that the Italian love songs which punctuate the film were chosen for their “over the top sentimentality,” to level out some of the intensity of the storytelling. It’s an effective tool, for although things get pretty dark, there is an omnipotent sense of care and affection woven into every scene. We’re left in no doubt how much Marion and Gilles care deeply for each other, despite the problems they face, and how much Ozon cares for his characters and seems to genuinely lament their inevitable tragedy.

In the final beautiful shot we see Marion and Gilles wading out into the sea, swimming tentatively into unknown waters. Given what we know this has a particularly weighty relevance. Gilles comments, “There are really strong currents,” to which Marion replies, “But it looks so peaceful.” As they disappear into the distance, we know they’re both right.


Some will undoubtedly find the story simply too everyday to be exceptional, but there are hidden depths behind the banal, and on repeat viewing 5 x 2 emerges as a prime example of the kind of insight and intimacy European cinema achieves so effortlessly. By the end, we’re so entrenched in the evolution of the relationship that it’s painful to watch the new love affair as it starts to blossom. Weighted down as we are by the knowledge of what’s to come, the reveal in the third act hits home with the kind of emotional impact Hollywood blockbusters can only dream of. LOZ