Hello everyone!
I recently stumbled upon the movie 'The Best Day' and I'm still trying to figure out what I was searching for, but I'm glad I found it. It's a romantic comedy with musical elements, and it's got a unique twist - the lyrics appear on screen during some songs, making it feel like a karaoke experience.
The movie follows the story of Petr Vasutin, a traffic police captain played by Dmitry Nagiev, who's planning to marry his girlfriend Ola, played by Yulia Alexandrova. However, things take a turn when a pop star, Alina Shopot, played by Olga Serbyakina, crashes into Petr's patrol car and tries to charm him to avoid punishment.
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Nature
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SUMMARY:
Quote from Kinopoisk:
A successful traffic police officer, Pete Vasutina, has been living with his mom, the owner of a roadside cafe, and has a fiancée, Olya, the queen of the gas station. On the day he decides to propose to Olya, a drunk pop star, Alina Shopot, crashes into his patrol car. To avoid punishment, Alina decides to charm Pete…
The movie was released in 2015, on December 24th, just before the New Year's holidays.
I'd say it's positioned as a karaoke comedy, but there are also some sad moments that make it hard to categorize.
Age restriction: 16+.
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Age restriction
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ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:
Andrei Kryzhevnikov (born Andrei Nikolaevich Perchin, February 14, 1979, in Arzamas-16, Gorky Oblast, RSFSR, USSR) is a Russian theater, film, and television director, screenwriter, and producer.I have to say, I first heard of Andrei Kryzhevnikov when I stumbled upon a few of his films. I'm a curious and attentive person, so it's no surprise I took notice.
He's probably best known for his work on films like 'Bitter!' and the series 'Call DiCaprio!' His wife, Julia Alexandrova, is the lead actress in that film, and he often features her in his projects – that's not a coincidence!
Julia Alexandrovaxa0
PLOT:
Provincial traffic police captain Pete Vasutin (Dmitry Nagiev) is planning to marry his girlfriend Ola (Julia Alexandrova), but gets tempted by a pop star, Alina Shopot (Olga Seriabkina), after getting caught driving drunk. She tries to seduce Pete to avoid getting in trouble, and he loses his girlfriend in the process. Vasutin tries to make amends and win back his lost love.
The plot is pretty straightforward and even a bit weak, but I don't think the director intended to create a serious drama. You won't find any thrilling plot twists or surprises here.
However, there are plenty of songs!
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Shootingxa0
MAIN CHARACTERS:
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Petr Vasutyn, played by Dmitry Nagiev, is a traffic inspector at the center of the story. He's a good-natured and harmless guy who's easy to provoke. He loves his mom. He's a bit naive. He's weak-willed. He's not entirely aware of what he's getting himself into: crashing, breaking, falling, and giving Darth Vader's lightsaber to anyone is a definite no-go! But... watch the movie!
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Dmitry Nagievxa0
Olya, played by Yulia Alexandrova, is Petr's fiancée. She's beautiful, kind, and noble. She's fun-loving and down-to-earth, with a great sense of humor. She's very emotional. She works as a cashier at a gas station.
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Yulia Alexandrovaxa0
Alina Shopot, played by Olga Serbyakina, is a singer. She's got a bad attitude. She's not afraid to send someone 'to their mom'. She's provocative, drinks while driving, and insults people. She's a self-assured, don't-care-about-anything kind of girl. She's a manipulator, plain and simple!
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Olga Serbyakinaxa0
Valentin, played by Sergey Lavygin, is Petr's best friend. He's a big drinker, and his wife left him. Overall, he's a good guy, but he's pretty weak and dim-witted. He looks at Lyubov Mikhailovna like she's his mom.
Sergey Lavygin
Angela (Valentina Mazunina) - the wife of Valentin, who I left because he drinks too much. She's got spunk, never puts her foot in her mouth - quick-witted and sharp-tongued. She's a feisty friend of Oli's, and they work together.
Valentina Mazunina
Lubov Vasutina (Inna Churikova) - the mom of the main character. She's strict, but caring. Always complaining about her husband's drinking and gets annoyed when men drink. She's got her heart set on marrying off her only son to someone with a good social standing. She's the owner of a roadside café.
Inna Churikova
Genady Vasutin (Mikhail Boyarsky) - the dad of Peter. He's a fun-loving, energetic guy who's in great shape. He's got a great sense of humor. He can play the accordion and even makes toy swans out of old tires. 🙂
Mikhail Boyarsky
Tatiana (Elena Yakovleva) - mom to Oli. Director, and maybe even owner of the gas station. Strict but laid-back parent, raising her daughter without a father. Well-groomed woman, who's not immune to emotional ups and downs. The real deal! She's got a workplace sweetheart, a humble guy named Viktor Mikhailovich.
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Elena Yakovlevaxa0
MY IMPRESSIONS:
This is a romantic comedy with musical elements, but on a unique scale, like karaoke: the lyrics appear on screen during some songs. So, the audience can sing along with the characters and feel like they're part of the filming process.
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The Lightsaber of Darth Vaderxa0
What struck me first is the breathtaking natural beauty! The landscapes are so charming and cozy, as much as possible. And, of course, it's all highlighted by the skilled cinematography by Maxim Shinkorenko and Ivan Lebedev (cinematographers). The filming crew really put in the effort!
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Cinematographyxa0
At first glance, this movie has everything: from the little details to the stunning wide shots. The genre mashup is also pretty diverse, although the storyline is a bit shallow. 'Best Day Ever' is a mix of comedy, musical, drama, and even some farce and sketch elements. I even spotted a parody of an Indian film in there.
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In the carxa0
Casting is seriously impressive. Everyone fits in perfectly, but not all actors nailed their roles. I didn't quite buy into Serabyakina's character, for example. She lacked a bit of sass and natural charm. Her character felt unfinished, but those awkward moments she had a few minutes into the scene were actually kind of endearing.
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Nagiev sings + Serabyakina's awkward momentsxa0
Buoyarsky looked a bit worn out. His usual energy was replaced by a calm, emotionless demeanor, but he still managed to tell some great jokes and have fun. I'm always happy to see him on screen. I just can't help but smile when I'm watching him. He's got a thousand charms!
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Dance scenexa0
I've got to say, Nagiev's farm haircut was pretty bad – I'm not sure they'd even let him join the police force with that look. But man, can he sing! I hit pause after the first song and went searching online to see who was behind those vocals. I thought it was him for sure, but I had my doubts – I mean, he's already a TV host and would've definitely shone in the spotlight. But... I was right. Nagiev sang his own parts, but as he mentioned off-camera, it was a tough spot and the audio team did some serious magic to make it sound good.
Not what you'd expect)xa0
I really loved Julia Alexandrova's performance. The natural, effortless simplicity she brought to the role just worked so well with the tense situation, and when she let loose, it was really satisfying.
Churikova was, as always, great and charming. No need to comment on that one!
Most of the characters sang solo, but the finale really brought everyone together – even the ones who hadn't shown off their singing skills before.
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The Svatas arrived)xa0
What does the movie teach us?
Don't drink too much! Alcohol messes with your coordination and can completely ruin your life and relationships. It's great to value your loved ones, be able to forgive, and remember that every little mistake can have big consequences!
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Heroes on TV
If you're just looking to unwind after a long week, this film might be up your alley. But if you're in the mood for something more serious, like the intellectual banter of Woody Allen or Ingmar Bergman, you might want to give it a pass. I'm a huge fan of both Woody and Ingmar, but I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by this one too.
The Elephant Game
Cast;Scenic views;Camera work;Good jokes;Emotional;A one-of-a-kind film.
Weak plot.
The Pool
VERDICT:
In the end, the film turned out to be a fun watch, with some parts feeling a bit rushed and dragging on around the middle. So, I couldn't give it a full score, despite being generally satisfied. Still, I'd say it's worth watching, and I'd definitely recommend it.
No Comments Needed
I'm wrapping things up here. Thanks for tuning in! I hope this review's been helpful. Until next time, take care, and stay awesome!