170. Why Don’t You Just Die! (Papa, sdokhni); movie review

WHY DON’T YOU JUST DIE! (PAPA, SDOKHNI)
Cert 18
96 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence

Why does bloody violence work in some films when it feels horribly gratuitous in others?
I was musing on this question after both Mrs W and I had agreed that Kirill Sokolov's Why Don't You Just Die! (no question mark?) was worth 8/10.
We had surprised ourselves by enjoying it yet there was more of the red stuff than I can recall in any other film this year.
And it is set entirely in a basic apartment with 95 per cent of its action in its living room and bedroom.
With a cast of just five.
But it works - both Mrs W, who usually avoids bloodfests, was just as enthusiastic about it as me.
Aleksandr Kuznetsov plays Matvei, a young man who is first seen at the door of an apartment, holding a hammer behind his back.
It turns out that he has been prompted to kill the detective father (Vitaliy Khaev) of his girlfriend (Evgeniya Kregzhde).
However, the best-laid plans go pear-shaped when he is actually confronted with his potential victim and his wife (Elena Shevchenko).
Indeed, he is invited in for cake and coffee with the hammer still in his grasp.
When the first blow is eventually struck it begins a series of fast-moving events which are both surprising, moderately amusing and certainly made us wince.
I was trying to work out why Sokolov's movie hit the mark when many others of what I would call the In-Bruges genre don't.
Kuznetsov and Khaev are certainly believable leads - one outwardly unsure but powerful, the other who has much less of a conscience.
The added dimensions which throw the audience out of the norm are the wife, daughter and police cop friend (Michael Gor).
It all adds up to a movie which may have its faults but we just couldn't keep out eyes off.

Reasons to watch: Not a second is wasted
Reasons to avoid: The blood and gore

Laughs: One
Jumps: One
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? In Russia, there are around 400 private production companies. They do not have their own facilities for creating films that is why they rent out spaces and equipment from their qualified partners. There are 35 film studios (nine of them are governmental) that are the major service for renting space. 

The final word. Kirill Sokolov: "It's full of political and social thoughts, for example, about the corruption, about this very, very high level of aggression in society now because of the propaganda, all this television stuff. And Russian people are ready to blow up because they are full of anger." CBR.com

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