The Italian

First, let me say that it strikes me as wholly bizarre that anyone would review this film without having viewed it. Whatever your personal stake in the Russian adoption system is, you should probably air your opinions on it somewhere else, unless you've actually taken the time to view the film (see review below). The movie is absolutely stunning! I speak Russian, so I quite enjoyed the beautifully done dialogue and the rural dialect and accent of the children. The subtitles were well done: yes, one could quibble with some translations, but they captured the essence of the original Russian, which is not something many movies can say. Cinematically, this film is also beautiful: it captures the decay, poverty, and wretchedness of post-Soviet Russia perfectly, and does so in a way that is always moving and never cheap or exploitative. It also portrays the orphans themselves and their problems and choices in a way that is truly insightful. The story itself is also excellent, and the ending is satisfying without in any way being hackneyed or contrived. Moreover, the writing is superb. The characters are all complex, multi-faceted, and believable. No one is two-dimensional, and even the "villains" have some depth and even some sympathetic aspects. If you enjoy deep, rich, and complex characterizations about the problems of everyday life, you will love this movie. If your idea of a good movie is a series of explosions and shootouts, stay away!

As an adoptive parent of 2 Eastern European Children both in orphanages since birth, I found this movie to be a NEEDED movie to see for those who about to take the strange and unknown journey into International Adoption. It was pretty strange to watch the movie and have the street of the orphanage Vanya was looking for being the same name of the street our daughter's orphanage was on.

We had the rare opportunity of staying in the country we were adopting from for 31 days and lived in an apartment in the city, which was about 40 minutes from the Village our daughters came from. We also were able to visit other orphanages and a TB Sanitarium with a Russian friend who regularly visits the children.

We found the conditions portrayed in the movie to be accurate. When I had to use the toilet, I was led to the "guest toilet". It was an old decrpid shed with a bucket. The stench was so bad, I was willing to wait for a few more hours until we went back to our apartment. Our daughters did not have that privelege. Baths, once a week. Clothing? Old, dirty, holey, shoes too small, if at all, but big ole' smiles on all those little faces hoping that you will take them home. Looks of hopelessness, sadness, despair, no future, no hope. We sat and talk to a group of teens who wanted to know if they could come to America. Tears streamed down their faces as we spoke to them and answered their questions. We brought sanitary napkins for the girls, toilet paper, shampoo, soap, laundry soap. Many times they do without these basic things. They have no running water.

They eat sub standard food and many have permenant health problems because of it.

Both of our daugthers were told they would be killed or sold. They were terrified. They were not told this by other kids. They were told this by workers. This was portrayed in the movie.

Our daughters were abused in the orphanages. This was portrayed in the movie.

(If you really want to see the reality, read the Human Rights Report on Orphan Neglect )

THEN... the movie touches on the "commodity" issue. Adoption is legal in Russia and Eastern Europe. It takes HUGE amounts of frustrating paperwork and you come by invitation only. The money changing hands is NOT to purchase a child, but to charge for services: Paperwork translation, travel services etc. But it would be naive to think that there are not those unscrupulous facilitators who make big money off of desperate people.

There is HUGE corruption within the agencies that permit adoption. Russia permits independent adoption without the use of an agency, This waas portrayed in the movie.

All the children want their mommies. They dream of having their mothers. Vanya's desire to see his mother again is accurate. I like the end, which I will not mention here. As Vanya is writing to his friend to let him know that he is ok, hasn't been sold for body parts and is happy, you are left to wonder, is it true? False? It gives you the true sense of hopelessness that portrays the life of an orphan.

And for those skeptics. Yes there are propaganda orphanages, just to please foreigners.

Regardless of how accurately this film portrays the real circumstances of adoption in Russia, it is a totally absorbing cinematic experience, with a convincing portrayal of the ways children and teenagers actually respond to one another. Many of the children in the film, including some with speaking roles, are residents of a children's home near St. Petersburg.

But the main reason to see the film is the performance of the amazing Kolya Spiridonov in the lead role. He simply lights up the screen, and steals every scene he is in. I think it is one of the best performances by a child actor ever captured on film. Buy it!