Elena

Name: Elena
Genre: Drama
Released: May 18, 2012
Duration: 109 min
Rating: 87
Cast: Aleksey Rozin, Andrey Smirnov, Nadezhda Markina, Yelena Lyadova

2012

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 16 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 47 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 47 Ratings

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Elena

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Movie Details & Credits

Zeitgeist Films | Release Date: May 18, 2012 | Not Rated

Starring: Aleksey Rozin, Andrey Smirnov, Nadezhda Markina, Yelena Lyadova

Summary: Elena is a gripping, modern twist on the classic noir thriller. Sixty-ish spouses Vladimir and Elena uneasily share his palatial Moscow apartment—he’s a still-virile, wealthy businessman; she’s his dowdy former nurse who has clearly “married up.” Estranged from his own wild-child daughter, Vladimir openly despises his wife’s freeloading sonElena is a gripping, modern twist on the classic noir thriller. Sixty-ish spouses Vladimir and Elena uneasily share his palatial Moscow apartment—he’s a still-virile, wealthy businessman; she’s his dowdy former nurse who has clearly “married up.” Estranged from his own wild-child daughter, Vladimir openly despises his wife’s freeloading son and family. But when a sudden illness and an unexpected reunion threaten the dutiful housewife’s potential inheritance, she must hatch a desperate plan...[Zeitgeist Films]… Expand

Director: Andrei Zvyagintsev

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 109 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Sheri Linden

May 24, 2012

The script, by Oleg Negin and Zvyagintsev, uses spare dialogue to quietly devastating effect. Performances are superb across the board, framed in elegant widescreen compositions that simmer with violence. Read full review

100

Stephen Holden

May 17, 2012

Post-Soviet Russia in Andrei Zvyagintsev's somber, gripping film Elena is a moral vacuum where money rules, the haves are contemptuous of the have-nots, and class resentment simmers. The movie, which shuttles between the center of Moscow and its outskirts, is grim enough to suggest that even if you were rich, you wouldn't want to live there. Read full review

Justin Chang

Jun 5, 2012

A wise and impeccably controlled drama that finds Russian helmer Andrei Zvyagintsev in outstanding form. Read full review

Ella Taylor

May 22, 2012

Beneath the noirish topicality of Elena, which won a special jury prize at Cannes last year, lies a bone-deep existential unease and spiritual alienation, a preoccupation with sin that is at once quintessentially Russian and wholly archaic. Read full review

Bill Goodykoontz

Jul 12, 2012

It's a sort of slow-boil Russian noir, if that genre exists, and if it doesn't, it does now. It's also a statement on class discrepancy in post-Soviet Russia. Arrogance, betrayal, crime and violence are all part of the story, directed and co-written by Andrei Zvyagintsev. Read full review

Roger Ebert

Jul 11, 2012

Shoot this film in black and white and cast Barbara Stanwyck as Elena, and you'd have a 1940s classic. Read full review

Nick Pinkerton

May 15, 2012

All of this builds into the film's last image, Elena's family finally welcomed into Vladimir's apartment, as the cautious, controlling, abstemious bourgeoisie are overtaken by the heedlessly fertile lower orders, the temporary inheritors of a terribly weary earth. Read full review

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User Reviews

EpicLadySponge

Apr 3, 2016

Another movie worth watching before you die. Don't miss Elena starting today on home media by going to your local store to get a DVD or Blu-ray copy of this movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MarcDoyle

Jun 1, 2012

It's simply an excellent film so thick with thematic development that I need to see it again. If you think ahead during the movie, anticipating all of the cliched ways the story could go, you'd likely be wrong every time. There's no need to go cheap here. The filmmakers have done wonderfulIt's simply an excellent film so thick with thematic development that I need to see it again. If you think ahead during the movie, anticipating all of the cliched ways the story could go, you'd likely be wrong every time. There's no need to go cheap here. The filmmakers have done wonderful work. I'll spare you any plot details.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

risky

May 18, 2012

Elena is a true achievement in character chemistry and acting. What I really like is that it doesn't contain any 'bad' or 'good' characters; the directing really makes you understand the motives, thoughts and personalities of the entire cast. Some of them initially seem as classicElena is a true achievement in character chemistry and acting. What I really like is that it doesn't contain any 'bad' or 'good' characters; the directing really makes you understand the motives, thoughts and personalities of the entire cast. Some of them initially seem as classic antagonists and some seem the opposite, but the story approaches them all from several angles and in the end I wasn't favoring or disfavoring any.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

Horlan

Jun 7, 2012

Andriej Zwiagincew made a movie with spare dialogue, which is calm, minimalist and static, but he did it very knowingly. Elena has an outstanding form, refined and subtle, interesting characters and truthful screenplay. It contains the contrast between the social classes in Russia,Andriej Zwiagincew made a movie with spare dialogue, which is calm, minimalist and static, but he did it very knowingly. Elena has an outstanding form, refined and subtle, interesting characters and truthful screenplay. It contains the contrast between the social classes in Russia, relationships based on the exchange of some services, it asks important questions and let the spectator answer them by himself. If you are intelligent, Elena can give you a lesson which will rescue you some say!… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

atg123

May 27, 2012

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a semi-depressing Russian budget movie.
Don't waste the 2 hours, as you won't get it back.

90% of the movie the people are silent, and nothing happens. That's because there is nothing to do in the plot. BTW, here's the plot: - a retired couple of an old dude-former banker and a lady-nurse, each have kids on a side from previous marriages. Neither of the kids is doing anything useful with their lives, but just want money from the banker. The banker reluctantly them some money, but is puzzled as to why the kids (who are pushing 30s) won't start working themselves. The nurse's kid wants much more money for his own kid, but the banker is reluctant.

The nurse kills the banker by overdosing him with Viagra, and gives the money to her kid, who moves into the banker's apartment and slips in his bed.

The morale that the director wanted to convey - being a mother is more important than being a wife.

While the director is trying to portray the nurse as the caring mother, the truth is that she is the killer and is actually a bad character.

I'm just puzzled as to why other people gave positive reviews here - just wasted my 2 hours. Thank's God I watched the movie for free, otherwise I'd request my money back.

Time though - that I won't get back ..., unfortunately.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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