Watch Beanpole

Beanpole is a 2019 Russian drama film directed and co-written by Kantemir Balagov. The movie is set in 1945, after the end of the Siege of Leningrad during World War II. It narrates the story of two young women named Iya (Viktoria Miroshnichenko) and Masha (Vasilisa Perelygina), who struggle to rebuild their lives and find redemption in a war-torn city that has been ravaged by death and destruction.

Iya, who is nicknamed Beanpole due to her towering height, works as a nurse in a Leningrad hospital, where she cares for the wounded soldiers. At night, she earns extra money by working as a prostitute. Despite the fact that she is physically strong, Beanpole is emotionally fragile, haunted by the trauma of war and by a tragic incident that occurred while she was fighting on the front lines.

Masha, on the other hand, is a feisty and ambitious young woman who dreams of escaping to Moscow and starting a new life. She is recovering from a battlefield injury and has returned to Leningrad to be reunited with Iya, her friend and former lover. Masha seems to thrive on chaos and danger, and she becomes romantically involved with Sasha (Igor Shirokov), a fellow soldier who is traumatized by his wartime experiences.

As the movie unfolds, we observe the complex relationship between Iya and Masha, which is marked by a deep sense of guilt, loyalty, and dependency. Iya is deeply in love with Masha, but she is unable to express her feelings due to her emotional detachment and her self-doubt. Masha, on the other hand, is consumed by her own desires and ambitions, and often disregards Iya's feelings.

Beanpole is a visually stunning film that captures the bleakness and despair of wartime Leningrad. Balagov's direction is daring and unconventional, using tight close-ups and long takes to create a sense of intimacy and claustrophobia. The movie is also marked by an eerie silence, punctuated by the haunting sound of a bird that becomes a recurring motif.

The performances in Beanpole are exceptional, particularly those of Miroshnichenko and Perelygina, who deliver chillingly raw and nuanced portrayals of their characters. Miroshnichenko imbues Iya with a quiet intensity, conveying her inner torment and her innate compassion. Perelygina, meanwhile, delivers a breakout performance as the charismatic and enigmatic Masha, capturing her vibrancy and her desperation.

Beanpole is a movie that explores complex themes of trauma, identity, and redemption. It is a haunting and unforgettable work of art that showcases the talent and vision of its director and its cast.

Beanpole is a 2019 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 10 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 85.