Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Andres Laiapea "The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!" is a romantic comedy set in the 1970's in an urban landscape in Soviet Russia. Parents need to know that it is not very suitable for children. Many characters drink a lot of alcohol and get drunk, some smoke. There are references to extramarital relationships. There is no sexually explicit content. However, you can see some kissing scenes and stuff like that. It is arguably one of the greatest works of director Eldar Ryazanov. The acting is also good. And the songs are the best, of course. Leonid Brezhnev, the leader of the Soviet Union, was a fan. He even referred to this movie in his report at the XXVI Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. But it is not a piece of soviet propaganda. On the contrary, this movie is like an anecdote from the Brezhnev era.

Andrei Pavlov The movie is about a few feeble male representatives of our former "intelligentsia" class. They are teachers or engineers, I presume. Together they get a load of alcohol just before the New Year's Day. They drink almost until depart. Their brains refuse to work correctly (of course) and they become complete jerks, pushing one wretched and stunned fellow into the airport and sending him to another city, which happens to be the second capital of our country (or is it the first?). There the drunk fellow (who looks and behaves like a complete loser through the whole film) comes to the wrong flat, as if to his own home. A pretty woman (must be a teacher) soon appears and talking, smoking, and singing are to follow (with a bit of arguing and good old love-triangle thing).The essence of this movie is non-existent. There is no style. The atmosphere is very awkward - it is really painful to watch the scenes with a beautiful woman worrying about such a nerd. Besides, things like drinking and smoking are presented as absolutely normal to human nature. A woman (a teacher?) sitting and smoking, with a vacant look in her sick eyes - this should be a poster for this blue movie. Well, what else to say? Oh yes, on top of all mentioned, the movie is too long.And don't miss the point: Christmas and New Year's Day (the 1st of January) are very different holidays. No wonder that the characters of this movie look like jerks: they celebrate the European New Year's day till their eyes roll out. What will be left for Christmas, the 7th of January? Dust and bones apparently. It can be a very good point of the film. But I don't think it was done to underline that. It was done to underline emptiness.If you want to kill time in a most suicidal and sadistic manner, go for this empty drag. Nothing personal. But if you want to see real Russian characters, colourful, rich, strong, and charismatic, go for "Vesyolye rebyata", "Kin-Dza-Dza", "Solyaris", and "Ostrov".2 out of 10, with "1 out of 10" reserved for the sequel. Thank you for attention.

Witold Brostow Let me sort out what in this film is Soviet, what is Russian, and what is universal.Soviet is the background, including the cartoon which precedes the appearance of humans: a man with a tube kills any architect originality, even so innocent as balconies. As a consequence, the same buildings are put up in Artica as well in a southern desert before surprised camels. The Soviet reality is the basis of the plot with identical buildings in different cities. Also the New Year tree rather that the Christmas tree is Soviet. However, as the story unfolds, the Soviet reality recedes into little visible background. An exception is a line in one of the songs: if you do not have a dog, your neighbor cannot poison your dog.Russian are the beautiful poems which are made into songs. There are also some views of Leningrad, but actually only a few, with the St. Isaac Basilica shown several times from different sides.The cast and the technical crew are largely Russian, but not only. Obviously Armenian, Georgian and Jewish names are listed. The actress playing Nadya has been imported from Central Europe; Barbara Brylska is a Polish actress, well known also from a number of other movies made in Poland as well as in other countries. The appeal of the film is truly universal ! This is the reason why viewers from countries so disparate as Latvia, Ukraine and China like this film so much (not to mention Texans). The love-jealousy quadrangle, two mothers, friends of Zhenya and colleagues of Nadya could have lived in many countries around the world. Even the story of the same address could have happened for instance in Germany where practically every city and town has Bahnhofstrasse and Poststrasse. Finally, the atmosphere of this film is unique - a word which very rarely can be used discussing films. We have seen other films directed by Eldar Ryazanov, all of them good, but none comparable to this one. All that takes place in the film is plausible, it could have happened in reality. At the same time, there is the feeling of poetic, unreal and sublime. These two basically opposed reactions to the film coexist somehow in the viewer; this simply does not happen in movies, films directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski excepted. Irony of the Fate is a truly wonderful film, alive 30 years after being created; it will enchant future generations as well.

soviet chick as watching this movie has become a tradition each new year in Latvia (ex soviet country) i have seen it a lot of times and enjoyed each time. i think that this movie gives a wonderful time while watching and really amazes with the sense of humor. The title is more than perfect for this movie! Another thing that amazes me is the way how the system of Soviet Union is shoved. All the situations are unpredictable.. and one can really enjoy the characters and the way how they solute their problems.. i really think that people who will watch it, will enjoy it. of course the quality might not be as good as nowadays, but respect- this movie is more than 25 years old! so- go on folks- and watch it!