this film appeared on several best-of lists in 2014 so needs a viewing
set in post-ussr georgia in 1992 and focused on two 14 year old girls
war, violence, family feuding, poverty to be dealt with on a daily basis
or so the mostly positive reviews advise - enough to make it must-see
opening scene of one of the girls on a small bus looking very pensive
one man heard loudly exclaiming all georgians should carry a weapon
she (eka) then seen at her modest home with her mother and sister
seems dad is away - a letter has arrived but eka not allowed to read
scenes then of eka and friend natia scrapping it out in a bread queue
locals feuding to get the best position to obtain the loaf or 2 of bread
the girls then harrassed by local young thugs on their way back home
at natia's home her despondent parents also fueding loudly and abusively
grandmother also in residence and young brother cowling with the tension
school days also hard-going with a strict and authoritative woman teacher
not exactly happy days - the opening scenes suggesting life is quite hard
but teenage girls have universal interests - boys and music are up there
a group of friends seen gathering for a singalong around a piano - nice
attractive natia also has an admirer in the form of a good-looking boy
he secretly gives her a loaded pistol for self-protection - she takes it on
eka a bit alarmed at this turn of events but natia insists on keeping it
the menace of the weapon strongly suggesting a further appearance
at this point i'm thinking - yes good - feeling very much transplanted
the director taking the time to provide a real feel for the time and place
and with that empathy for the girls in their central roles as protagonists
sensing also that it's a typical girl-growing-up story in a hostile place
local traditions are that women marry early - and so it is for natia
though not to lado - her protector - he has gone to work in moscow
she marries kote - he of a local family - eka does not react well
'do you love him' she asks - 'i am told i will grow to love him'
natia then handing the gun to eka for her to scare any bullies
the girls friendship suffers as kote jealously locks natia away
but on one rare outing they come across lado back from moscow
kote spots the eye contact and pursues him through the city streets
a knife is drawn and lado is murdered - one stab and he drops dead
natia goes into a rage and is intent on revenge and needs the gun
but her best friend eka refuses to hand it over - such maturity
which pretty well wraps up the story - they dispose of it
and the final scenes - eka visits her father in prison
he himself a murderer - maybe an act of revenge?
eka at fourteen dealing with plentiful adversity
and that seems to be the theme of this fine film
some kids have adulthood forced upon them
and some (eka) know how to handle it
in bloom - the title very appropriate
not for everyone but for me - is good...
the menace of the weapon strongly suggesting a further appearance
at this point i'm thinking - yes good - feeling very much transplanted
the director taking the time to provide a real feel for the time and place
and with that empathy for the girls in their central roles as protagonists
sensing also that it's a typical girl-growing-up story in a hostile place
local traditions are that women marry early - and so it is for natia
though not to lado - her protector - he has gone to work in moscow
she marries kote - he of a local family - eka does not react well
'do you love him' she asks - 'i am told i will grow to love him'
natia then handing the gun to eka for her to scare any bullies
the girls friendship suffers as kote jealously locks natia away
but on one rare outing they come across lado back from moscow
kote spots the eye contact and pursues him through the city streets
a knife is drawn and lado is murdered - one stab and he drops dead
natia goes into a rage and is intent on revenge and needs the gun
but her best friend eka refuses to hand it over - such maturity
which pretty well wraps up the story - they dispose of it
and the final scenes - eka visits her father in prison
he himself a murderer - maybe an act of revenge?
eka at fourteen dealing with plentiful adversity
and that seems to be the theme of this fine film
some kids have adulthood forced upon them
and some (eka) know how to handle it
in bloom - the title very appropriate
not for everyone but for me - is good...
