Watch Temporary Difficulties

Temporary Difficulties is a Russian film that explores the intricate web of relationships and emotions that exist between couples, and how each party can drift apart and eventually end up in a state of emotional isolation, specifically in marriage. Directed by Michael Raskhodnikov and written by Alexei Germantsev, the film follows the lives of three couples who all share the same apartment building located in Moscow. Each couple, while at different stages in their relationship, is dealing with the strain that years of marriage have put on their lives.

The central characters are Vera (played by Irina Pegova) and Semyon (played by Aleksandr Golubev), a married couple who have been struggling with their relationship. Vera is a schoolteacher who lacks passion and suffers from chronic anxiety and depression, while Semyon is a successful business owner but is growing increasingly discontent with his life. His growing dissatisfaction at work starts to seep into his marriage, making Vera feel more isolated and angry. The other two couples in the building are Ilya (played by Anton Shagin) and Katya (played by Irina Gorbachevskaya), and Vladimir (played by Andrey Smolyakov) and Lena (played by Natalya Fateeva), who have their own unique problems to deal with.

Ilya and Katya are a young couple who recently married, and they are struggling to find a sense of independence in their relationship. Katya is discovering that she is not entirely satisfied with marriage, which is causing friction between them; meanwhile, Ilya is growing increasingly frustrated with his job, which makes his feelings of inadequacy spill over into his personal life.

Vladimir and Lena, on the other hand, are an older couple who have been married for a long time. Lena is a stay-at-home wife who struggles to connect emotionally with her husband, while Vladimir's work has diminished his ability to relate to her in a meaningful way. Despite their struggles, the two have a deep affection for each other, which sometimes manifests itself in surprising ways.

The film is very introspective in nature and deals with a plethora of themes, including emotional detachment, anxiety, and depression, as well as frustrations in relationships. It does not offer easy answers to the complex problems that the couples face, but rather it portrays the messy, complicated nature of relationships.

The cinematography in the film is simple but effective, with long, lingering shots of empty parks and quiet streets serving as a metaphor for the isolation and loneliness that the characters are feeling. The music that is used in the film is sparse, but when it is present, it is poignant and memorable.

As a whole, Temporary Difficulties is a mature and thought-provoking film that does not shy away from the difficult realities of modern relationships. It is an excellent exploration of the complexities of love and marriage, and how people can struggle to find meaning and connection in their lives. The movie is a must-watch for anyone who appreciates character-driven dramas that explore the human condition.