Voditel dlya Very

I don't agree with previous writers that this film is a masterpiece or that it's hokum or that's it's a rerun of Burnt by the Sun. As a non-Russian, I found its evocation of the period (1962) enthralling & its depiction of characters multifaceted. The title character is torn by ambition (partly grounded by his upbringing) & attraction; the general is both ruthless & a loving father; the KGB man spins a web of intrigue but has integrity. Some,who are cleverer than I am, may have figured out what would happen next, but I couldn't. The camera work is gorgeous & made me want to visit the Crimea. Main drawback is the script's over-use of our old friend Coincidence. Even so, the film's pluses outweigh this minus & make it well worth seeing.