Aleksandr Sokurov's Russian Ark might have been somewhat opaque from a narrative standpoint, but it was a visual tour de force of such opulence and technical wizardry that it swept viewers up into its unique world. In contrast, Father & Son, the second in Sokurov's proposed trilogy about familial love (the first was 1996's Mother & Son) is an emotionally claustrophobic exercise that most will find easy to resist. Exploring the bond between a young military cadet in training at an army base, and his father, an ex-soldier who shares an upper-level apartment with the lad in a nearby seaside town, the film has the pair conversing in an almost impenetrably elliptical style (in a script that is part down-to-earth exchanges and part high-flown poetic reverie) while also engaging in a good deal of physical contact (shot in glowing, light-filled tones that give the scenes a shimmering golden aura) that suggests a strong homoerotic aspect. But while many of the images in Father & Son are striking, even ravishing, ultimately the film inhabits a rarefied atmosphere that proves off-putting. One of its obscure mantras is that--as the son says on several occasions--a father's love crucifies and a good son allows himself to be crucified. But here it may be the viewer who feels the pain. Not a necessary purchase. (F. Swietek)
Father & Son
Wellspring, 83 min., in Russian w/English subtitles, not rated, VHS or DVD: $29.98, Oct. 26 Volume 19, Issue 6
Father & Son
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: