Déjà vu (1990)

I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

Dreadfully Boring

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Following up Magnet, my copy does have English subtitles in packaging that is otherwise Russian, dated 2002. The translation is so bad as to add considerably to the humor: somebody has a dictionary and is taking the first entry. Thus the ship will 'float away' to Sumatra, the Chicago gang is selling 'homemade whiskey,' nary an 'a', 'an', or 'the', and very creative use of prepositions. A good fraction of the dialog is in English, enough to follow the plot even without translation.This is a different style of humor than we North Americans are used to, reminding me of the early Soviet satirist Bulkagov, or Ilf and Petrov in 'The Twelve Chairs'. The star player, Jerzy Stuhr, is strongly reminiscent of Mel Brooks, and plays a constantly frustrated American killer to the hilt. Watch for the scene on the Odessa steps.If anyone can identify who is singing the Deja Vue theme at the end, I'd be grateful.

The plot is well-known and can be put aside.Why "a dropping eye"? Dramatic elements of this comedy are as numerous as the comical ones: the girl's disappearance from the hotel, the so true-to-life strict control over every man's actions, the atmosphere of mass hysteria and phobia that can only be drowned in liquor, the pointless, though quite optimistic, existence of man in a communist society.It is one of those movies that show wit and glory of our cinema. For instance, there is no need to sit for hours with the eyes glued to the screen showing "The Godfather" trilogy. You can watch this little film of the 1988 and get a clear idea of the whole mafia monkey business.To dislike the main character (who is hit-man by profession and likes jazz, boxing, and sex) is just impossible. Look at the way he smiles and behaves - he is a kind of tragic hero, a child with a gun. Like those killer-girls from anime.Though the movie is a cult favourite for nearly every Russian cinema connoisseur and I would set it firmly in the national top 100, it is to be watched with a good background (some knowledge of the Russian language and the history of our country of the early 1920s are a must to enjoy this comedy's undercurrents) and can easily miss a westernized or oriental mind. The scene with Mayakovskiy reciting his "Ya dostayu iz shirokih shtanin..." is fabulous. The "Hitler" guy is ridiculous. The pioneer's speech about oligarchs and Charlie Chaplin is witty. The interaction with "Bronenosets Potyomkin" is over-the-top absurd. And so on and so forth.On international level it's 8 out of 10, not to everybody but still very neat. Thank you for attention.

It is a movie that shows the fact that comedy was born in Odessa. Even when you are dealing with assassins you can make a funny movie if you are doing it in Odessa. Odessa is a self-proclaimed (deservedly so!) capital of humor. Second only to the city holiday of the city's founding (September 2, 1794) is the citywide celebration of April 1st with the annual "Yumorina" (Humor Day). In 1988 (or 1987) when the movie was being made, I used to live near the round building that is used in the movie as the "Bakery" in which the Informer is hiding out. I used to see the crew making this film, but had no idea what this film was or if I will ever see it. About ten years later, when living in America, I rented this film not knowing anything about it. Seeing Odessa again was a treat in itself. But then I saw the scenes near the "Bakery" and almost fell off my chair!!! I have seen this film being made!!! It was an incredible experience. September 2nd is approaching. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ODESSA!!!!

This movie deserves to be recognized. It is an original comedy spoofing the early years of the Soviet empire, with all their grotesque and pretentiousness. It is a story of an American killer-for-hire, who is sent by the Mafia to kill an informer. Out of all places, the informer is hiding in the newly Soviet Russia. The killer is mistaken for the well-known scientist traveling around the world, so the Soviet bureaucracy kicks in the high gear, determined to show off the new wonderful Russia for the famous foreign 'scientist'. With all the attention and constant companionship of one over-zealous Soviet tour guide (a hilarious turn by an unknown Russian actress), the killer gets in all these ridiculous situations just to follow up on his contract. In turn, the informer knows that the mob guys are after him and decides to strike first. In short, it is a never ending situational romp with funny one liners that I remember to this day (even though I saw it when I was a child growing up in Russia).Now, I don't think this movie is available with subtitles, so you've got to know your Russian before you see it. You won't be sorry - the actors are superb (especially the Polish actor, who also appeared in 'Novie Amazonki'), the script is smart and funny as hell, and the early years of Soviet Empire have never looked so ridiculous as in this film.