12

I accidentally stumbled upon this movie one boring Friday night when I stopped by a local Blockbuster store. Never even heard of it before and at first rolled my eyes thinking that this would be Mikhalkov's feeble attempt to remake a classic that I like so much. As an expatriate from the former Soviet Union, I tend to be a bit suspicious when it comes to Russian attempts to "go Hollywood." Yet, I felt some weird pull to rent it...

I must say, this movie completely blew me away!!! I would imagine it tough reading the subtitles for a movie that relies so heavily on dialog and small nuances of speech and my hat is off to those of you who were willing to invest the time to watch this movie. It's also sad that some of the things got lost in translation: accents of some of the jurors, or the fact that the bombed cafe in the flash-back scenes was called "Cheburashka" - a sweet stuffed animal cartoon character every Russian child grew up with (oh, the irony!), or that the hand-scribbled sign above the entrance into the basement where the boy was hiding read, "Don't shoot, there are women and children inside," etc. Nevertheless, the fact that none of these things - the length, the subtitles, the little things lost in translation, the cultural differences - took away from the power of the movie serves as a testament to the director's craft. Simply superb!

You know how it goes: Someone tells you an "art" film is good, you put it on your list, you Netflix or rent it. And then it sits, because you don't have quite enough energy to watch something that might require your brain to kick into first gear. Such was 12, with me, until I decided to give it the "30 minute test": if I wasn't hooked in 30 minutes, back to Netflix with this sucker.

I was hooked inside of ten minutes. This Russian language film (English subtitles)serves notice that the Russki's really can make good films, REALLY good films. Based on the premise of the original American drama Twelve Angry Men, a Chechen teen is accused of murdering his Russian stepfather. The jury expects deliberation will take less than a half hour, the audience knows otherwise.

Though borrowed from an American film, 12 is uniquely, and in many ways, purely Russian. Using sharply defined acting and amazingly detailed character studies, 12 unfolds for Westerners an intimate portrait of Russia in the 21st century, and a fascinating and engaging portrait it is. In a way reminiscent of Slumdog Millionaire, the story unfolds as each juror tells a story about life in Russia, each story but one whittling down the guilty votes. Each story reveals the Russian soul and temperament in ways that a dry treatise simply cannot.

Complete with a twist at the end that is engaging and powerful, this film will please any viewer that prides him/herself on being a student of foreign cinema. A bit lengthy (hey, ever heard of a Russian novel that was SHORT?) 12 will reward a bit of patience richly.

This film is a glimpse into the very soul of Russia: Outsized, florid, flamboyant, cruel, petty, funny, and poetic. It is as if Gogol's Dead Souls were transported to a 21st century courtroom. The gruesome flashbacks to the horrors of the Chechen War provide resonance, context, and meaning. The acting is superb (if extravagant), and the direction and montage artful, even at times beautiful. Mysterious and poetical symbols are scattered throughout; it is a credit to the director's skill that they remain so effective. Two hours and 40 minutes of speeches you have to read as subtitles may seem like a chore. It is instead a moving and illuminating experience.