«Holidays» - Movie Review by Kinoafisha

The May holidays in our country are a particularly cherished period. After all, they are long, often with just a small break of working days in between, which can be negotiated, especially in this era of remote work, and they are also warm. And that means, "friends, barbecues, parties" or "parents, planting, boredom." Somewhere between these two options of activities, the Pyzhov family balances, inviting viewers to join them on their country house adventure in the comedy film "Holidays".

Natalya Pyzhova, an officer and a professor at the Police Academy, is getting ready to celebrate her 50th birthday. The only problem is her daughters are unmarried, and, just her luck, her husband has been unfaithful. Well, at least that's how it seems to her. But what difference does it make, whether it's true or not, when she has an award-winning pistol and a marksmanship title? With enthusiasm, and a nearly empty ammunition clip, begins the feature film directorial debut of the famous comedic actor Boris Dergachev.

This extreme setup is necessary to push the family to the edge, where they either fall off or turn around and have a peaceful tea together, after discussing all their problems. But it would be incorrect to label "Holidays" as a dialogue-driven comedy. Like in any respectable family, the Pyzhovs don't really engage in proper dialogues. They interrupt each other, whisper to one another, or simply stay silent when the matriarch of the family, Natalya, gives her authoritative voice (which is almost always). In general, viewers are presented with a exaggeratedly accurate observation of a fairly typical Russian family, with some complicating circumstances such as the infamous pistol, a meddlesome abuser, an unpredictable neighbor, and a stand-in fiancé. All for the sake of making it funnier.

Knowing that in the upcoming television season, viewers can also expect Dergachev's debut as a sitcom director with "Macron," another family comedy, it can confidently be stated that this emerging director is not afraid of buffoonery on screen. However, since he attracts excellent actors for this purpose, they elevate it to the level of being potentially beloved by the masses. And they perform very honestly and seriously. Maria Aronova, in the role of the head of the Pyzhov family, maintains her military demeanor and an impenetrable expression on her face, which is in no way compatible with her flowery dresses. She constantly plays with self-contrast, making it difficult to predict the character's reactions, unless you happen to know someone like Natalya among your acquaintances. For her, discipline and traditions are synonymous, just like drill and care. It's no wonder that this kind of woman has daughters who are complete opposites of her ideals of beauty. Because trying to conform here is useless. And through this anecdotal impossibility of pleasing a mother, wife, and potential mother-in-law, a simple but accurate truth shines through amidst the laughter.

In such heightened comedic tones exist Vitaly Haev as a loving but not necessarily faithful husband. Agile, flexible, alive, he is clearly the neck, not the head, in the Pyzhovs' pair, constantly looking around and occasionally twisting. Anastasia Kalashnikova takes on the role of an overachiever in life, from whom everyone expects only gold medals, red diplomas, and a good groom. And that amazing mix of emotions combined with prevailing confusion, expressed on her face, evokes the same mixture of reactions from the audience: from "what a fool" to genuine sympathy. And Yana Enzhaeva carries on her shoulders the responsibility of all younger sisters in the world. A joker and a slacker, a fashionista and a slacker, but only in the grown-up understanding, when it seems hopeless to rely on the help of an older sister, but still one wishes for it. Add to that the adult irregular meetings, when the closest people know the least about each other, and you will get exactly those circumstances and those "grooms" portrayed by Vyacheslav Chepurchenko and Nikita Pavlenko, and you will get the typical May celebrations that Boris Dergachev artistically recreated on the screen.

Some may say that the portrayals are too exaggerated, but closer to the finale, it becomes evident: such a concentration of collectiveness within a limited number of characters is necessary precisely in order for the audience to not miss the log in their own family gatherings, "because it's the way it's done."

However, "Holidays" does not condemn or leave behind a suffocating feeling that our families are hopelessly sick. Just as it doesn't lead the viewers to a sweet ending where state-approved values triumph. Boris Dergachev, whether due to his youthful direction or human wisdom, does not diagnose or prescribe remedies, except for the eternally relevant vitamin of "calmly and honestly talking". He portrays his holidays as one of the chapters in a long life, in which the problem of fathers and sons, wives and husbands, and the generation gap will always exist, along with everything that is required by the classics. But he does so in a kind way and with an obvious message: hey, guys, everything can be solved if you truly feel like a family. This film does not strive to revolutionize and redefine relationships within a conventional family. It, like a photo album, helps us remember that behind each picture there is a story. And in the case of "Holidays," it is, of course, a serious story, but still very, very amusing.