Domestic comedy "Gene-Concrete" (starring G. Kutsenko, O. Arntgolts, S. Peregudov, A. Smekhova, F. Bondarchuk, R. Litvinova, I. Okhlobystin, R. Kachanov) is a film with a difficult fate.
Only for tv
Shooting the comedy film "Gene-Concrete" (actors and roles were selected back in 2008) lasted more than 4 years. Director Roman Kachanov, having agreed on financing with a private investor, launched the filming process in 2008, but when the shooting was in full swing, an unexpected incident happened - the investor declared himself bankrupt. As a result of insolvency, the project was frozen. Three years later, the director managed to procure the necessary amount in the “Support Fund for Domestic Cinematography”, filming resumed, and the film was finished. The cinema stars of domestic cinema, recognizable and beloved actors (Bondarchuk, Kutsenko, Okhlobystin, Fedortsov, Semchev, Yushkevich) were involved, but in fairness it should be noted that the above-mentioned and many other box-office masters of the scene starred at Kachanov's old friendship and acquaintance. The picture was not released, it was only released for television. Even the actors involved in the project did not expect such a turn. “Gene-Concrete” for most Russian viewers went unnoticed.
Plot
The dashing 90s are in full swing with all the ensuing consequences for the town of Velikobelsk. Churning from water to bread, the unemployed journalist Alexander Tikhomirov (Sergey Peregudov), wanting to get a permanent job in the staff of a more or less reputable publication, wanders into the office of the local leading newspaper. Its editor-in-chief offers the hero a scam - to pay a significant amount for a provocative report signed by the real name of the distressed journalist. The problem is that the article must expose the local oligarch Fatyanov (Alexander Semchev) in all conceivable and inconceivable sins. The journalist agrees, the article adorns the editorials of the newspaper, and the consequences of a collision of Fatyanov’s accomplices nicknamed Iroquois (Andrei Fedortsov) and Jaw (Konstantin Yushkevich) are not long in coming. Tikhomirov, in order to protect himself, calls the customer a covert criminal authority invented by him with an eloquent nickname (they say that the nickname came up with the actors themselves) "Gene-Concrete". To confirm his words, a journalist hires a drunken janitor Gena (Gosha Kutsenko), writes an article about him, makes a video report, as a result, Gena-Beton begins to live a real life. And the consequences of his act were unpredictable for the whole city.
Creators
The director Roman Kachanov is known and loved by domestic viewers thanks to his vivid film works: “DMB”, stretched into quotes by “Down House”, a cool series “Take Tarantina” and “Tumbler”. The screenwriters of the Gene-Concrete project are Andrei Kivinov (who worked on the “High Security Vacation”) and Konstantin Murzenko, and Kachanov also put his hand to the script, at least as the actors claimed. “Gene-Concrete”, unfortunately, was written without the participation of Okhlobystin, the actor acted only as a performer of a secondary role. Perhaps that is why the script is frankly weak, without fateful phrases, without chic dialogs. As a result, the picture turned out to be an average comedy, similar to the perestroika movie, shot not in the 90s, but in 2013. Comedy doesn't really make fun and looks outdated. Although the cast of the film is incomparable, especially Kutsenko at the moments of the “cool game”.
Actors of the film "Gene-Concrete"
It is not clear why Sergei Peregudov was taken into the lead role of the inventor. According to the reviews of the audience and reviews of professionals, he plays casually and unconvincingly. The image does not fall at all, which, of course, annoys the sophisticated movie fan. Rather, he can be represented in the guise of a gangster, not a journalist. The scandalist Aleksey Panin, who played the role of the operative, did not fail, demonstrating his best qualities. His game is certainly not a complete lack of talent. Fyodor Bondarchuk was not allowed to turn around by colleagues in the workshop, he is organic in his role, but he does not pull the "blanket over himself". Ivan Okhlobystin is traditionally magnificent, a couple of times came to the fore, but did not replay. Andrei Vasiliev made his character interesting, despite the fact that his hero remained a second-rate figure. Alika Smekhova played the role of the head of the hostel, turning her heroine into a colorful and memorable character. The audience will also like the heroine of Anna Samokhina, the actress is no longer with us. The other characters looked good too, noticeably how the actors tried. "Gene-Concrete" is a film whose cast reminds the acting team of the Russian Federation for the Olympics.
As a result
This time, Kachanova turned out an average comedy, which can be seen solely because of acting and individual cameos. The film at once, to review it, with all due respect to the creators, would not want. But given the countless pseudo-films punching in batches of modern Russian cinema, this film looks good.