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Moscow on the Hudson (1984)
Vladimir
Ivanoff walks into a department store to buy blue jeans,
walks out with a girl friend, an immigration lawyer and a buddy.
His life and theirs will never be the same again.
Director: Paul Mazursky, rated R for brief nudity
and language
  Starring:
Robin Williams, Maria Conchita Alonso, Cleavant Derricks,
Alejandro Rey, Saveliy Kramarov, Elya Baskin, Oleg Rudnik,
Aleksandr Benyaminov, Lyudmila Kramarevskaya, Ivo Vrzal-Wiegand
DML Rating:
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
- good
"In Moscow we fought
for an inch of freedom! Here you take it and pour shit all over
it." –
Vladimir Ivanoff
Why watch this?
This fish-out-of-water film highlights underplayed humor.
Plot Summary:
A Soviet circus musician visits New York City and impulsively
defects from his homeland while shopping at a crowded department
store. Stranded in an unfamiliar country, he navigates the
unpredictable realities of American life with the help of a
diverse circle of friends. As he pursues his personal dreams, he
grapples with the bittersweet balance between newfound freedom
and preserving his cultural roots.
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Dad's Preview:
In his early films, Robin Williams experimented, taking
roles that many felt were unwise. I mean, what do you do
with a standup comic dynamo? You put him in comedies,
right? He decided a different path for himself and it
pays off. This film has laughs, but it is subtle and
smart. The comedy comes from the situation (a Russian
defector living in New York City who can barely speak
English) not the outrageousness of the comedian. He
gives a lovely performance, as does his costar Maria
Conchita Alonso. This is a small, developmental chapter
in his incredible film career, and it will, if you let
it, bring a smile to your face and warm your heart. |
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Delphi Premier;
Columbia Pictures |
