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Not at the Top of the Pole

It's Leningrad, in 1945, soon after WWII has ended. It's hard to imagine a bleaker feel than in Kantemir Balagov's "Beanpole." Sure, there are plenty of documentaries and war films that are even more depressing; this one may not be quite as depressing, but just try and find a moment of joy anywhere here.

Actually, I've enjoyed - if that's the right word - lots of depressing cinema, but there must be other factors that suck me in. "Beanpole" made me feel nothing for its characters even though I should have. There is no doubt that these people are living something far short of full lives, but even the film's weirdness doesn't add much, and I love weirdness. Maybe it's my fault for not loving it. Yeah, right.

Despite all of this, it's a surprisingly interesting film. It's very unique. The performances are far above adequate. No problem with the way it's directed. So, why didn't I love "Beanpole" instead of just mildly admiring it?

Two young women are at the center of the story. Iya (Viktoria Miroshnichenko) and Masha (Vasilisa Perelygina) served as anti-aircraft gunners against the German army. Iva is called Beanpole because she is thin and towers over everyone else. When we first meet her, I couldn't help wonder what the casting call was like for her part, or if they built the story around the blonde giant.

Iya was sent home early from the front because of post-concussion syndrome and it's unclear if she is now odd because of her ordeal or if that's her before-the-war personality. She often stares blankly into space for minutes at a time, as if she is in a coma or under the mind control of a hypnotist in a bad movie from the 1960's. Even when not comatose, she's not the life of the party.

Masha stays at the war until its conclusion. Upon her return, we learn that her husband died in the fighting and her son died while in Iva's care.  While Iva is clearly damaged, Masha isn't in the finest of mental condition. She's lost a son and husband, so that's a pretty reasonable reaction. Masha's nuttiness comes out in her maniacal smiling and other behaviors. She's pretty, so prospective suitors aren't deterred by her crazy eyes.

The rest of "Beanpole" follows the two women through their crazy gyrations. The only male character, Nikolay (Andrey Bykov), is a doctor at the hospital where a good deal of the film takes place. He serves a couple of functions, and Bykov reminded me of Jeremy Irons.

"Beanpole" will hold your attention. There are no total weaknesses. My only complaint is that I did not get personally involved for a second. I was always aware that I was watching something, but never experiencing it. Yet, I still think it's worth seeing, but I'm not totally certain why.