unata Daneliya is my favourite movie director, mostly because of his cult classic Kin-Dza-Dza. I finally got to Afonya and declare it a masterpiece. Daneliya has this unique talent for a full-on sarcasm towards his characters combined with incredible love and compassion for them. This combo reminds me a bit of older episodes of the Simpsons, only there is MORE sarcasm and MORE love. Afonya used to be one of my favourite guy types, the class clown, dealing pot on the side, always getting into trouble and trying to joke their way out of it. I dated a couple of them over the years and got to know that their joking is a cover up for the emptiness they would feel once they stop talking. They often don't realize it themselves, but I am glad that Afonya did. I saw some comments in Russian reviews not understanding why his girl saviour - being so much younger that he is and a pretty girl - keeps following him around. I think it's quite straightforward, she mentions that her brother was on Afonya's youth days volleyball team, and she probably had a huge crush on him then. It's still a crush and not love, but hey, it all worked out at the end :)

hte-trasme This is the second film I've seen of Daneliya; I sought it out after I saw Kin-Dza-Dza. This film is fantastic too, in very very different ways, but it seems to have a similar sentiment of humorous cynicism covering a serious hope at a center for human kindness. This makes for a tone that's both tragic and comic, and a film that's sincere but not doe-eyed. As a the one-name title might suggest, this is not a plot-heavy film but a character piece about Afonya, a hero who seems to be making himself into a nobody. He gives the impression of a man doing everything wrong in his life -- demanding apprentices at work only to dismiss them immediately, insulting his boss, leaving a house to flood because he doesn't want to do overtime, causing his girlfriend to leave him by bringing home drunk strangers only to chase women who are uninterested in him and ignore the one who is. And as he gets everything wrong for himself, he does it in a very funny way. And destructive as his actions may be, they are shown us in a tone perfect to make him seem likable and a bit pitiable rather than despicable. And slowly, with an imperceptible transition, we realize that he's not just getting everything wrong in his life, but that he;s just extremely depressed and indifferent. Things get as sad as they can for our hero -- as he comes home to the aunt who raised him to find that he she is dead and realizes his own callousness at never writing him -- before they end with one bright glint of home. Very fine and sensitive writing, acting, and directing to achieve the counterpoint of tone here -- the film is both very funny and very sad, the hero is both terrible and very likable. Very simple in its way but no small achievement.

mishnefski Love this film.May Contain Spoiler further Down.Filmed in Yaroslavl, where my OH is from, even 35 years on from filming, I can recognise places. Almost a piece of social history.I don't speak Russia, but I didn't really need to to understand and 'get' it. It has some funny moments during the first half, which either due to the actors, or the direction, or possibly both, you can tell what is happening without understanding the dialogue.I have found this with a lot of soviet era films; the acting, scene set up and direction is almost like they are making a silent movie. Not visual, in say an action blockbuster or a cartoon, but you seem to be drawn into the characters and their actions/mannerisms as much as the dialogue, none more so than Afonya.My one slight criticism would be that the actress who plays love interest, Katya, seems rather to young for Afonya. But the way she plays the cute, adoring, almost puppy like wannabe girlfriend is so enchanting I can forgive that.The two main characters, Afonya and Katya are wonderful and you want to care about them from the start. With great comedic supporting characters as Afonyas mates.Possible spoiler. The film hits a rather sad point towards the final act, but the ending will leave the viewer very satisfied.

arturs k. One of my favorite USSR movies. Offers huge psychological background for viewer. Many are keen to think "Afonya" is a comedy, but i would rather call it tragical comedy. Movie shows many details of general USSR citizen life, but i would say it goes even much deeper, and tries to analyze human relations, especially it is visible in discussions between main hero and friend, who stays at his place, after wife drives him off home. Danelia made movie very close to reality, and guess everyone who had lived in USSR could recognize there himself. Tricked hopes, lost chances in past, lack of reversible love - all is there. Till the very end you have no clue how it will end, as in life. Some moments make you cry, some to laugh, but i guess there is no moment when you get indifferent to actions on screen. Great job by Danelia!