In Russian. 127 minute running time so at least 20 to 30 minutes too long … another grim movie from Russia … 12-year-old kid runs away from home and his rotten parents, in the midst of a nasty divorce, don’t even notice for two days. (He overhears one of their fights where neither parent expresses any interest in taking him after the split — brutal.) The police are of little help, but there is a volunteer search and rescue group who get involved. Maybe that’s a hopeful thing?

I guess it’s some sort of metaphor for modern Russia, which is apparently so selfish and soulless that it doesn’t even care about its “children” anymore, something like that. The authorities (parents) are “at war” with one another and the people (the children) are the only victims. This was too long and didn’t have any redeeming qualities, it’s just an indictment, and hasn’t Russia always been this way?

SPOILERS: the kid is never found and life moves on. The parents are still selfish and nasty, even years later. Nothing changes except Alexey is still missing but not missed. Vanished and forgotten.

Ah, this was made by the same guy who made Elena, which I loved! That was a much more successful indictment of modern Russia in my mind. Skip Loveless and see Elena.

Even now, when I look at him or think about him, like right now, it seems like I have made some unforgivable mistake.

Have you thought?

- About what?

- What do you mean? You're the mother.

- I'm so tired of you...

- He really needs a mother.

- At this age he needs a father more.