I’m finally getting back to watching and blogging movies some more. I started this TV movie back in August, and just now watched segments up to the end of part 3.
It’s quite good, and it’s making me take back some of what I said about portrayals of the police in Soviet-era cops ‘n robbers shows. I’ve often explained how, in Brilliantovaya Ruka and others, the police are portrayed as omniscient and virtuous. Vokzal dlya dvoikh is a slight exception, but that one isn’t a cops ‘n robbers show.
Mesto Vstreachi is interesting in that it shows conflicts, corruption, befuddlement and interesting personalities within a criminal investigating unit. And there was one segment where the two main characters were disagreeing about due process — whether it was right for the police to commit crimes to trap the bad guys.
I’m eager to see how that turns out.
There’s a lot more to the movie than that, but that’s all I’ll mention, at least for now.
[slight edits to fix brain vs typing finger mismatches]
Reticulator
///And there was one segment where the two main characters were disagreeing about due process — whether it was right for the police to commit crimes to trap the bad guys. ///
Yes. It’s one from most important points in essence of this movie.
In accordance with the writers’ and film director’s idea, Zheglov is more Stalinist in own method (saying shortly). But Vladimir Vysotsky’s unique individualism did this character much more complex than in the original one.
By the way, my British friend-blogger (http://wytchcroft.livejournal.com/) has seen these series recently. What do you say if I shall offer to discuss about this movie jointly? On my view, it could be very interesting.
Alexander, it could be very interesting to have such a discussion. Over at your LiveJournal blog?
BTW, some time back you brought up some good questions that I haven’t yet answered. I still plan to do so, though.