TeenzTen An action-packed slog

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Kayden This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

hte-trasme There's a great moment in The Garage where one of the characters says that she studied contemporary Russian satire, and another congratulates her on being able to study something that doesn't exist yet. To put that in the middle of such a biting satire as this, the filmmakers must have known exactly how daring they were being. The Garage is daring not just in its content -- which on a basic level shows the Soviet system of local collectives to be corrupt and dysfunctional -- but in its form. It's a full length film that operates by locking all its characters in one room and letting them argue with each other for its entire length. It's a kind of conceptual minimalism that's a huge risk, but it does pay off. The characters are largely likable eccentrics as individuals, but as a group they come to embody a black-as-pitch view of humanity as a whole -- and that's where the film transcends being an indictment of the fine points of Soviet local government in the late seventies, and becomes a piece of art with something to say about humanity itself. In short, people are shown to be completely beastly to each other over such trivia as a parking space -- not just self-interested but often disloyal and heartless. In the end, they come up with a "fair" solution of drawing lots only after torturing each other all night. And when the unlucky lot is the only one left and the selection is therefore no longer random, everyone gangs up on the one snoozing man who has not chosen to make him a victim. The sweetness of some of the touches to the stories of the characters that are assembled here can be tasted just enough to make the bitterness of the satire still palatable. Even still, the film is not exactly always easy to watch, even though it's often very funny. There's also a stellar cast assembled, which is essential for such a contained, character-driven piece. I've seen a few of Ryanzanov's films now, and I think he assembled a collection of favorites whom he knew to be reliable here. The premise may border on the absurd, but it's done with such conviction that I think everyone must feel they've been in an association that might behave in exactly the same shameful way. And that makes it horrifyingly apt satire.

cmp4x I found the debate over collective values quite compelling, as each person puts forward his/her own position with respect to the others'. How to decide who is in and who is out? The film cycles through a lot of different positions in trying to answer this question. But, ultimately, I found that the ending's satiric answer did not really satisfy the level of debate that one went through before getting to the end of the film. We are left with a simple joke at the expense of the lazy guy who slept through it all, but is that really enough to let us exit from the dramatic situation in which we have become involved? Perhaps in the futile atmosphere of a totalitarian state it seems the only gesture possible, but one is nevertheless left hoping for more.

ilia_davidovich This movie is one of the best by Riazanov. It's not appreciated as much as "Ironia Sudby", because of its strong satire, I believe many people from former Soviet Union can easily recognize themselves on either side of that usual conflict of interests. And as usual one side has an ultimate advantage, thus gets furiously attacked by other trying to level the disposition. Once being the theater show, the movie preserves the theatrical spirit, the scenes are long and the pace is moderate. Starring actors are usual for Riazanov's cast, all his favorites in: Oleg Miagkov, Lia Ahedzhakova, Gerogy Burkov are performing exceptionally well. As mentioned by previous reviewer, the subject is acceptable for any person familiar with corporate culture and the script is full of hilarious lines, soviet jokes of 70's, and even romance. Highly Recommended!

Verbatima A corporation-like cooperative, under the auspices of a research institute, is constructing car garages for its members, most of whom are research scientists at the institute. Suddenly, the government appropriates a portion of the construction site, so the cooperative cannot build as many garages as it planned -- which means that some members must go. The predictable happens -- the Board of Directors summarily expels the four weakest shareholders, who have no leverage in the institute's power structure.Of course, the expelled kick and scream; of course, the rest of the members hurriedly grab their coats so as to leave as soon as possible the place of their shameful act. And then, an unexpected twist. One of the members -- who, incidentally, was not expelled -- raises her voice in protest of the Board action; when other shareholders refuse to heed her, she locks everyone in the conference room, hides the key, and vows not to let anyone out until the matter is resolved in an alternative way -- namely, by throwing dice. What results is a delightful mix of powerful social tensions, envy, resentment, gossip, herendous accusations of non-conformism, unabashed intimidation, veiled threats, and petty personal attacks -- all of which nearly erupts into violence when the Board and its supporters attempt to strip-search the dissident, believing the conference room key to be hidden on her body.This situation is not unique to the Soviet reality. The movie shows the complex and treacherous balance of power in a small organization where high stakes are involved, as well as the weaknesses and pitfalls of corporate governance.Even a person unacquainted with the Soviet wolrd, but familiar with the corporate culture and environment prone to cultivate the worst of human flaws, will appreciate this fine and subtle film.