This film is considered one of the best works of director Y. Bykov, along with such films as "Major" and "Live." He manages to shoot very convincing dramas. No wonder the film "Fool" in 2014 received a prize for the script and diploma of the Guild of film critics and film critics at the "Kinotavr".
This picture is about how the world looks, in which everyone is indifferent to other people's troubles. And anyone who wants to at least change something will definitely hear after him: "Well, a fool!"
How is the plot built? And who are the actors in the movie "The Fool"?
Plot
All events take place in one night. Dmitry Nikitin, an ordinary plumber, is quietly having dinner with his family. Suddenly he was called to work: a sewer breakdown in one of the city's dormitories. He notices two huge cracks on the bearing walls of the building and realizes that it gave a roll and will not stand idle for more than a day. Nikitin decides to urgently inform the mayor of the city of Galaganova, who is celebrating her anniversary at this time, which is attended by all the main officials. Both his wife and parents want to stop him, pointing to both the meaninglessness and the danger of this venture. But the conscientious Nikitin can not give up on the lives of living people, albeit completely alien to him. Moreover, almost all the residents of that hostel are drunkards or drug addicts. Nevertheless, Nikitin believes that as soon as the authorities find out about the problem, they will help people.
At an urgent meeting of the City Council, the fate of 800 residents of that hostel is decided. If you declare an evacuation, then they need to be resettled somewhere, but, of course, there are no options. First, they begin to look for the last one to whom responsibility can be blamed, but the stigma in the cannon is at the top. Therefore, Galaganova goes to extreme measures and orders to kill Fedotov and Matyugin, then to hang all the dogs on them and thereby save her skin. Nikitin appears next to them, but he is released with the threat of removing him if he urgently does not leave the city forever. He takes his wife and son, puts them in a car, and they try to escape by flight. But on the way Nikitin sees that, contrary to the assurances of the mayor, no one is evacuating people. He quarrels with his wife, insisting that she leave alone with her son, and he remains. He runs to the hostel to wake the tenants and take them out of the building. But the brutal crowd, instead of gratitude, kicked him. This scene ends with Bykov’s film “The Fool”.
Idea of the picture
The director poses a difficult task for the viewer: to decide for himself what is more important - the well-being of his family or the life of 820 strangers. Moreover, such people are usually called the dregs of society. Among them are alcoholics, former prisoners, drug addicts. Should I risk my life for them? The contingent of grief-hostel was intentionally shown by the director from the worst side, so that not a drop of sympathy would arise for them. Therefore, the behavior of Nikitin, who actually goes to death for their sake, seems all the more unjustified. And then he dies at their own hands. But with his lips, the director voices the main message of his work: "We live like pigs and die like pigs, because we are nobody to each other." It was his answer to the desperate cry of his wife that he did not owe anything to those people.
The protagonist Dmitry Nikitin
Played by Artem Bystrov. Films with his participation have not yet been as popular as this one. He was the best suited for the image of a decent and conscientious plumber, who always tries to do humane thanks to his upbringing. Dmitry is as truthful as his father. He has an honest and open face, he is slightly naive, because he believes that he can break the system. It seems that Nikitin has iron nerves, he reacts more or less calmly to what is happening even in critical situations, and therefore is able to think sensibly. But until the end, his image is revealed in the final scenes. Even his steel endurance runs dry during a quarrel with his wife, he drives her away, because she does not understand his honesty and compassion. Also on the roof of the ill-fated building, when Dmitry, wet and out of breath, realizes that he has notified all residents of the danger, and they managed to get out from the inside, tears of joy begin to flow from his eyes. This is the only moment in the whole film when the main character is happy. He has fulfilled his moral duty; he will not be tormented by conscience.
Galaganova - mayor of the city
She was played by Natalya Surkova, the most famous for her main role in "The Master and Margarita." On her account more than 40 films.
Costumers and make-up artists adapted her appearance to the image of a typical official. Natalya Surkova, although older than her heroine on the passport, but in real life looks younger. And Galaganova just turned 50. For more than 20 years she has been holding the reins of government. Nikitin arrives at the celebration of the anniversary at the moment when they raise another toast to her health and sing praises about her care for the city, they say, people even call her mom for her eyes.
She creates her first impression of herself as a person holding such a position not in vain: she knows how to lead, as well as to think sensibly. A woman she is domineering, in a commanding tone can besiege objectors. She orders a half-drunk official to come to her senses and organizes a private meeting right in the restaurant. From her monologue about where the money goes from the city budget, it is clear that she knows about the dark deeds of her comrades-in-arms, and she herself is involved in them. At first, it seems that she is not indifferent to the fate of those people, but later it turns out that she is not afraid that the house will be ruined, but that her heads will fly and can make her guilty. In the best case, she will be removed from her post, and in the worst, she will be imprisoned. At first, Galaganova made an attempt to obtain temporary housing, but this was unsuccessful. Its own skin is more expensive, so under pressure it gives tacit consent to the removal of two bosses, and then - all ends in the water. The role of Galaganova is very emotional. Natalia Surkova perfectly managed to convey both the firmness, and charisma, and cynicism of her heroine.
Bogachev
Yuri Tsurilo during his entire acting career played about 70 roles, most of them negative. Appearance obliges, perhaps ...
The film "The Fool" was no exception. Yuri Tsurilo plays here an unprincipled and hypocritical official Bogachev, walking over his head to achieve his goals. Here, for him, human life is not worth a penny, and this applies not only to residents of the hostel, but also to their comrades-in-arms, with whom he worked together for years. Those with whom he had just sat at the same table, he sends to death without any hesitation.
Actors of the film "Fool": Boris Nevzorov as Fedotov
With Bykov, they already worked together in the film "Major", shot a year earlier. He usually plays positive characters, his role is people in uniform, for example, valiant police officers.
But a completely different role was prepared for him by the film "The Fool". Boris Nevzorov reincarnated as a negligent, cynical and corrupt boss. Even when Nikitin scientifically proves that the building has only a few hours left, he objects that subsidence in the fall is normal and panic is unnecessary. And about the residents in the dormitory, he says: "Are these people really? These are scum: every second person has a criminal record. Maybe they need the other world." Only when he, Matyugina and Nikitina are being shot, does he show humanity and intercede for the guy, asking him to let the innocent plumber go.
Father of Dima
Alexander Korshunov usually gets supporting roles. Also here, the actor plays the father of the protagonist. He is an honest hard worker, the same "fool" as his son. He works at work, but does not wipe his pants, does not drag home everything that is bad, like the rest. For his 60 years he hasn’t accumulated anything. Someone steals light bulbs in the entrance, and he twists it, someone breaks a bench near the house, and they and Dima repair it. But he doesn’t have friends, even his own wife doesn’t consider him a man. But he deserves the respect of the viewer. Such an uncompromising and decent person is played by Alexander Korshunov.
Dima's mother
She was played by Olga Samoshina. The role is not easy, but the actress failed. All monologues had to speak angrily or just scream. Olga Samoshina is a fairly large lady, and here she is dressed in a terrible brown jacket of enormous size, which, according to the director's idea, was to emphasize the wretchedness of the life of the Nikitin family. Dima’s mother is a greedy and quarrelsome woman who cannot say a good word. For her, the main thing is to live like everyone else, no matter what the cost. Even at dinner, she grumbles and reproaches her son for his inability to survive in this world. At the end of the picture, he even gives him a slap in the face for returning to save people.
Other actors in the movie "The Fool"
The wife of Nikitin was played by Daria Moroz. The image of her heroine is developing quite dynamically: in the house of her mother-in-law, she is a silent daughter-in-law, and in the car she shows her real face. Although, on the other hand, she is simply not as naive as her husband, and understands how his amateur activities can end badly for their family.
Kirill Polukhin got the role of the head of the fire department Matyugin. The head of the Sayapin’s department of internal affairs was played by Maxim Pinsker, and the secretary, Galaganova Razumikhina, was played by Lyubov Rudenko.
Elena Panova and Dmitry Kulichkov played an unreliable couple from a hostel. An alcoholic husband constantly beats his wife, and that mother swears him on what the light stands.
By the way, almost all the actors in the movie "Fool" are honored artists of Russia.
Allegory or reality
On the movie poster you can write “Based on real events,” and that will be true. Situations of such or similar are a dime a dozen. Some viewers saw in the plot something more that the director wanted to convey. Like, a hostel is the whole post-Soviet space, and the collapse of the country as a whole is shown on the example of the top of this nameless city. People like Nikitin can be counted on the fingers. But the majority thinks in much the same way as Dmitry’s wife or mother.
Movie title
The life position of Nikitin is the subject of most debate after watching. Although everyone admires his fearlessness and self-sacrifice, many viewers who watched Bykov’s film “The Fool” do not hide the fact that they themselves would hardly have done the same. Why? Yes, because modern egoistic society is not worthy of this, and no one will appreciate it, or worse, they will kick it.
Someone even sees parallels with Dostoevsky's "Idiot", where it is shown that a decent and honest person is considered a holy fool. In the film, they call ten times Nikitin’s fool - his mother, wife, police officers, and residents of the same hostel. So the director wanted to emphasize how the collective consciousness stigmatizes those who are a cut above the rest when it comes to decency. Unfortunately, they do not admire such people, they are not put as an example, but, on the contrary, insult them, calling them fools. Their behavior is considered unacceptable and abnormal, up to the moron.
Although the majority will agree that everyone would like to live in a country of such "fools" as Nikitin.