Firebird

This film is a bittersweet love story about characters burdened by oppression, but the theme of liberation is as palpable as the sense of loss.

Prior and Zagorodnii are both so watchable, and their chemistry so electric, that it’s easy to get swept away in their romance. Historical accuracy be damned.

This is all competently executed, as Prior and Zagorodnii have impressive chemistry, and Rebane allows their performances to take center stage. Unfortunately, even though the two leads are a joy to watch, we can’t help but feel that we’ve seen what Firebird is offering before.

There’s so much potential heart and heartbreak in Firebird’s tale of forbidden passion that the screenplay and the cautious pacing become frustrating; with every ache measured and spelled out, the film’s dogged striving for poetry too often leaves it feeling disappointingly prosaic.

Prior and Zagorodnii have a fair amount of chemistry, although both are so Fashion Week gorgeous that it edges Firebird near soft-core territory.

Each line and image feels predetermined, as if Rebane and his characters had already decided this love story was a losing battle. There is loss, but little sense of risk.

Prior and Zagorodnii are at their best in casual conversation, either exchanging sheepish glances or knowing pleasantries under the base’s Big Brother-ish nose. But as soon as things get serious or even faintly sentimental, they talk like the guys in the movies.

Great movie. Amazing story. Unique insight in The Sovjets in that time. Brought with very good taste.

Well acted and insightful look into treatment of gay s in old Soviet Union.

Tom Prior is a 9, everything and everyone else is a 4, so... 6.5 overall. It's such a shame that the other actors and the writing are so forgettable and unoriginal. Without Tom, this would be a complete disaster.

This is based on a true story of 2 men who fell in love while serving in the Soviet Army during the Cold War. If discovered, their relationship could result in 5 years of hard labor, so keeping their secret was crucial. The narrative extends beyond their military days, as they grow in different directions, while remaining painfully in love. The 2 actors make their attraction feel real and become even more powerful as their situations become more complex. This film hits all the right targets for a story like this in a relatively straightforward manner. The attractive cast and able direction bolster its appeal.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]