Coarse language and violence

★★★★★
“Sensational. Has the taut dramatic structure of a Dostoyevsky parable, matched with mesmerising long-take technique, a hushed, disquieting soundscape, and images that jangle in your head for days. Breathtaking. A film to crow about loudly”
Tim Robey, THE TELEGRAPH (UK)

★★★★
“Potent. Zvyagintsev’s direction is so precise and his actors are so good that he needs little dialogue and next to no exposition. He puts you so deeply into the lives of these people that one laugh can be transformative. Quietly electrifying.”
Sandra Hall, THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

★★★★
“Outstanding. Exquisitely photographed with pristine symmetry, and using a striking music score by Philip Glass, this quietly disturbing film makes a considerable impact. Masterly.”
David Stratton, AT THE MOVIES

★★★★
“Beautifully done. Zvyagintsev is a really wonderful filmmaker.”
Margaret Pomeranz, AT THE MOVIES

★★★★1/2
“A riveting nail-biter of a thriller. Extraordinary. A thoroughly modern twist on the classic noir, framed for our modern times in contemporary Moscow. Exemplary and entertaining.”
Ed Gibbs, SUNDAY AGE

“Spectacular. Stunning. One of the year’s most accomplished film’s from any country. An outstanding Russian drama of fractured families, money and quiet desperation.”
Neil Young, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

“Terrific, and intriguingly Chabrol-ish. Tense, edge-of-the-seat stuff.”
Peter Bradshaw, THE GUARDIAN