Vice
Denis is youthfully handsome and meticulously dishevelled. He enjoys some degree of success as a DJ in a town in the southern district of Russia. It may not be Moscow but he is well known where he lives, and seemingly happy with his attractive de facto, Masha.
A foolish choice lands Denis and his friends indebted to a local crook. As if that weren’t bad enough, the crim is being relentlessly pursued by a police officer who is determined to capture his target no matter what.
One senses there is more at stake for the police officer than the prestige of capturing a notorious criminal. Similarly, the criminal with whom Denis becomes involved, is aware that he is being pursued by the pesky policeman.
Our protagonist finds himself hopelessly stuck between the two men and their struggle, which seems more like a duel of the egos rather than survival.
This is an edgy Russian feature, whose pace and colourful flourishes appear to have been influenced by contemporary western cinema. Its underlying theme of exploitation and the fate of youth in current Russian society certainly makes it thought-provoking. But for most people, Vice will be an entertaining action film.