Vodka Lemon
(2003/New Yorker DVD)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C- Film: B-
Hiner Saleem’s Vodka Lemon (2003) is yet another of
many recent films that are becoming part of a cycle that is also becoming
cliché. Usually taking place in either
and Islamic country in trouble, a former Soviet Republic or both, you get a
somewhat intellectual comedy about people left behind with no food, water,
money, supplies or any other way of continuing life. For those of former Communist countries, it
is being simply cut off after having at least some of their needs met by the
state.
Many of these films have been comedies and some
intellectual and political pundits would take these films as critical of
Communism, Capitalism or both. This
extends to usually leftist circles that try to show stark reality while being a
comedy. Though this film has some good
performances as those in recent post-Soviet Armenia are left stranded literally
in the cold and cut off more or less from the rest of the world, the actual cut
off and its obvious results are the same old story and tale. Some of the scenes are funny, but the problem
with all these films is that they are almost too busy laughing off the
situation instead of dealing with them.
The one film I keep coming back to is Alain Resnais’ Mon
Oncle D’Amerique (1980, reviewed elsewhere on this site) where the joke is
that economic problems will be solved by a fictional uncle who will send money
from the rich and wealthy first world country.
Even though The United States has its economic problems, it is still a
popular joke with its legendary trappings.
This film throws in a title bar, using it to wallow in the sorrow and
laugh. However, no matter how good the
film gets, it cannot escape the way it has cornered itself. The result is a watchable film that will date
quickly when someone finds a film to break the limits of this cycle, even if
the characters stay trapped. At least
this one will still have some laughs.
The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1/16 X 9 image is made
“strange and funny” looking as if this were shot on video instead of film,
stemming in part from a PAL to NTSC difference that was totally converted
right. Some haloing and ghosting is
present. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
has no real surrounds, though it is a recent release and a Dolby Digital one to
boot. The only extras are trailers for
this and four other New Yorker releases.
For more on Saleem’s work, try this link for Kilometre Zero:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/6736/Kilometre+Zero+(2005/First+Run+Fea
- Nicholas Sheffo
