Film: Tulpan (2009)

Tulpan (2009) epitomizes the disconnect between film critics and audiences, where on my trusted film guide critics heralded this "unclassifiable" movie donning it with a 90 'metascore' out of 100...while users (aka, you and me) gave this movie a measly 4.5 of 10. With such a discrepancy in ratings, my interest was piqued!

Set in Kazakhstan, Tulpan tells the tale of the hapless Asa, a young Russian naval officer who returns to his sister's nomadic home and family in the desolate 'Hunger Steppe'. Here, where life revolves around simple necessities for survival, Asa must learn the life of a Shepard, where the pressure to find a wife and establish his own brood builds. At its heart, Tulpan is a Kazakhstan love story, where affection and tenderness blossom between Asa and his country. With this slight (sardonic) whiff of socialist-realism Tulpan reveals the unembellished pleasures of what a modest life can give us. The movie will leave you with three lasting impressions: the unexpected beauty of the vast, uncut scenes of the Kazahkstan landscape and climate, the gaggle of animals and rambunctious children (both equally untamed; the lamb-birth is quite excrutiating!) and Boney M.'s 'River of Babylone'--the only sound-track...played on repeat.

While I can understand the critics loving this movie for its novel approach, majestic landscapes and (banal) humor, it was a bit of a stretch for me.