Without this brutal war, Boris might live happily ever after with his "little squirrel". His brother Mark didn't get a chance to "jump in" either. But I don't think Mark should be interpreted as the villain in the movie, at least he is in love with Veronika, isn't "blindness" also a feature of love? With regard to Mark's role as a "deserter" in the movie, I think everyone has to ask themselves, who at this juncture of life and death will definitely unwaveringly choose the fate of possible death. Mark isn't a badass, he's just a grey figure.
Finally, two wordy movie details. This film is quite valuable in some places (especially considering that the film was shot in the ideologically strong former Soviet Union, salute to the director!) The film depicts a group of "privileged classes" who were drunk in the war, thanks to Kalatozishvili, let We know that the former Soviet Union still had this character.
It's easy to say "dedicate your life to defend the motherland", but when the person who will give his life is your lover or your child, how do you choose? The film depicts people's hesitation in detail, which adds to the humanistic atmosphere of the film.
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