Yura Was Here

Sergey Malkin's film follows two friends still waiting, in their thirties, to become rock stars. Oleg and Seryoga play in a little-known band and are preparing for a slot at a local festival. On the eve of the concert Oleg's uncle, a man with mental disabilities, turns up. Neither of them can leave him behind and he enters the preparations; the narrative builds this not as an obstacle but as what makes the two see their own condition. Konstantin Khabenskiy plays the uncle. The tone sits between comedy and drama; the music is at the centre and the band sequences take wide space. The narrative promises no great success. Who it's for: those who like Russian musical comedy and narratives about friendship. Who it's not for: viewers uncomfortable with mental disability used as an emotional device.