Itisagreatfilmbyagreatdirector.KiraMuratovahasneverbeengivenherdueintheSovietandpost-SovietRussia.Inthe"LongGoodBye"shedepictsaseeminglybanalstoryofajealousandpossessivemother(brilliantlyactedbyZinaidaSharko)andherpooraloofandlonelyson(theonlycinematicrolebythetalentedO.Vladimirsky).Thestory-whichisnothingextraordinaryinitself-growsintothewonderfulandfrighteninganalysisofalienationbetweengendersandgenerationsonthebackgroundoftheevenmorefrighteninglybleakanddehumanizedSovietreality.KiraMuratovashowsthetinydetailsofeverydaySovietlife,and,again,banalastheyare,theyareahair-raisinghorror.Thedialogueisdeliberatelylaconicandvoidofanysense,showingtheever-growingpeople'sinabilitytocommunicateandunderstandeachother.Thesoundtrack(byanotherunder-estimatedtalent,OlegKaravaichuk)addstotheatmosphereofhopelessandmeaninglessexistence.Ofcourse,Sasha(thenameoftheprotagonist),willleavehisdespotic(butloving!)mothersoonerorlater,butwherefor?(c)Author:drbagrovfromTaiwaddd