Worth: $14.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Elena Nesterova, Valentin Samokhin, Vitaliya Yenshina, Tatyana Vladimirova, Dmitriy Urosov, Artem Grigoriev, Anna Kotova
Intro:
…slow-burning family drama…
Based on the critically-acclaimed stage play by Ukrainian Anna Yablonskaya, director Lera Surkova sticks close to the source for most of the part in this slow-burning family drama.
The moments where she strays in order to take creative control, usually when we leave the main family home setting, is where it also takes audiences out of the moment. Some pivotal scenes feel overproduced for no reason, particularly the black-and-white flashbacks and an impromptu rap routine.
When Valentin Samokhin’s introverted musician, Oleg, is interrupted during an audition with a call from his mother, his minor reaction makes it seem like a regular occurrence. It turns out she’s been out of contact for most of his life serving God, and has arrived at their doorstep to interrupt their very lives.
Regardless of their new visitor, Oleg’s family has many cracks beneath the surface. Their daughter arrives home drunk and depressed, his wife is struggling for work, and their handyman can’t stay sober enough to finish renovations.
Slowly but surely his mother, as though possessed by a higher power, convinces everyone to follow her ways – and ultimately, they think they’re becoming happier people as a result. This is only believable because of the perfect timing of Tatyana Vladimirova, continually tiptoeing a fine-line between compassionate and patronising.
Similar films typically have you question the very idea of religion without forcing beliefs, but initially Pagans seems quite clear about the message: Devote yourself and good things will happen. It’s not until the final act where things start unravelling that audiences get a chance to decide for themselves.
Judgement is the core theme that carries through, particularly the unfair judgement by all five main characters, against one another’s actions and beliefs. This is summed up nicely with the film’s prologue, with each of these characters breaking the fourth wall and raising the question of what exactly makes us happy – whether it’s family, love, creative passion or religion.
