I hesitated watching BALLAD because I was a bit concerned about seeing a propaganda film. But boy, did I cheer the soldier in this story! The filmmakers did a fine job to build sympathy for him from the moment the viewer laid eyes on him. He's handsome, tall and the kind of person with that boy-next-door appearance. It is really a tightly-knitted film in which you wonder from the opening scene, about the son, whose mother longingly stares down the one road into their home town. Having the opportunity to follow his journey, we really get a sense about his upbringing, his hopes and dreams, and where his heart lies. I dare not divulge too much, because it was such a treat to see how this young man undertakes a journey to try and see his mother.
As for calling this a "war" story, it's not the kind that we might picture: the John Wayne flicks, or ones like, "Saving Private Ryan," for instance. There's not much violence in this film, at all.Rather than a film with attitude, it's a film of the heart. And BALLAD certainly has heart. This film delivers with a terrific story line, in which the filmmakers help the viewer open their hearts up to those of the main characters. Witty combinations of humor and nostalgia transcend borders, giving the viewer a sense of wanting to know many of the people portrayed in this film. Why, I actually searched for further information about the lead players, and my heart dropped when I learned that both of the main talents recently passed away in real life. In a sense, it felt as if I had lost two genuine friends.
BALLAD gives us the opportunity to see the two lead characters in their first roles. They were simply mesmerizing on film, which has preserved them in time. The players had little to no experience, yet their screen presence showed tenderness, charm and power. Please do yourselves a favor. If you're sitting on the fence about whether to watch BALLAD, go ahead and watch it. Even if it was a film to showcase Communism and the motherland of Russia, I didn't care.
I really argued whether to give this a perfect score, but just couldn't do it. And I'm trying to express why, yet I can't. I'd like to pick apart an obvious shot using models instead of real equipment, or maybe the shot of either lead looking through a window as trees reflected. Or perhaps the ending, which seemed a bit abrupt? It's the ending. I guess I wanted something a little more, or different. How nice it was, upon reflection, to watch an almost flawless film.
As for calling this a "war" story, it's not the kind that we might picture: the John Wayne flicks, or ones like, "Saving Private Ryan," for instance. There's not much violence in this film, at all.Rather than a film with attitude, it's a film of the heart. And BALLAD certainly has heart. This film delivers with a terrific story line, in which the filmmakers help the viewer open their hearts up to those of the main characters. Witty combinations of humor and nostalgia transcend borders, giving the viewer a sense of wanting to know many of the people portrayed in this film. Why, I actually searched for further information about the lead players, and my heart dropped when I learned that both of the main talents recently passed away in real life. In a sense, it felt as if I had lost two genuine friends.
BALLAD gives us the opportunity to see the two lead characters in their first roles. They were simply mesmerizing on film, which has preserved them in time. The players had little to no experience, yet their screen presence showed tenderness, charm and power. Please do yourselves a favor. If you're sitting on the fence about whether to watch BALLAD, go ahead and watch it. Even if it was a film to showcase Communism and the motherland of Russia, I didn't care.
I really argued whether to give this a perfect score, but just couldn't do it. And I'm trying to express why, yet I can't. I'd like to pick apart an obvious shot using models instead of real equipment, or maybe the shot of either lead looking through a window as trees reflected. Or perhaps the ending, which seemed a bit abrupt? It's the ending. I guess I wanted something a little more, or different. How nice it was, upon reflection, to watch an almost flawless film.