The story starts in a Siberia where world's biggest diamond was found. It is so valuable that it may not only pay off the enormous national debt, but also allow every Russian citizen to move to the Canary Islands. However, Mafia plans to steal the massive gem but a notorious thief, Vasia, ruins their plans. Mafia and militia begin chasing him, but soon Vasia learns that he has brothers as between the chase he runs into well known Jewish conductor and a gypsy baron who are triplet brothers. The film is very dynamic, funny and a pleasure to watch. You should know at least Russian to understand all the social satire in the film. We roared with laughter because the language is full of super phrases!
5 Reviews
An unimaginable triangle.
bulya223 December 2006
I've read many reviews about this film, and most of them tell about the messy beginning of this film (which involves the diamond, and so on...). But the real point of this film is the unimaginable triangle of the three twin brothers, where each one of them was grown in a different environment (Garkalin plays all the three brothers). It actually makes one of them think that he is "russian", another one think that he is a "jew", and the third one is "gypsy" (through the film it turns out that among their parents and grand parents there are all sorts of people). When each of these characters appear, he dislikes at least one of the other types, and it turns into a triangle where the "russian" guy dislikes Jews, the "jewish" gut dislikes gypsies, and the "gypsy" guy dislikes Russians (as well as anyone who discriminates gypsies). But then they begin appearing each one in other's life, and also being told about their parents, what eventually makes them even love each other. A great comedy scenario and acting makes this unbelievable story into a great comedy film.
it's available with english subs
ineligible_flower13 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The film is a comedy with elements of grotesque; it is set in post-Soviet Russia, it overexaggerates the common prejudices that supposedly Americans or Europeans have about Russians.
The plot of the story is based on the notion that from morning until dawn Russians drink the popular alcoholic beverage named Vodka, being drunk they sing the world-renowned Russian operas in the company of Gypsy folk groups and bears, accompanied by balalaikas, surrounded by matreshkas, and dressed in traditional costumes of peasants from the 19th century.
Moreover, the film shows criminal gangs, corrupt policemen, bribery, nationalism, antisemitism. On top of that, the Russians (being Jewish, Chinese, and with the black skin color simultaneously, due to mysterious and twisted circumstances at birth) show the famous Russian hospitality and generosity, readiness to widely open their mysterious souls and to become brothers with complete strangers. As expected, women feed guests and the people passing by with the traditional dishes: sour cabbage right from the bucket, salads in enormous cans, salted cucumbers - all followed by some Vodka and more Vodka.
The story has a happy ending: it is, of course, about love between all the people of the world. Policemen and criminals hug, fighting relatives and colleagues forgive each other, the authorities provide the citizens of the country with a fair share of the treasure that is finally discovered. The ending suggests that all of us are brothers and sisters and the future is bright.
It is available to watch on youtube in official Mosfilm channel with english subs. "Shirley Myrli (comedy, dir. Vladimir Menshov, 1995)" Please be warned there is some bad language and some people may be offended.
The plot of the story is based on the notion that from morning until dawn Russians drink the popular alcoholic beverage named Vodka, being drunk they sing the world-renowned Russian operas in the company of Gypsy folk groups and bears, accompanied by balalaikas, surrounded by matreshkas, and dressed in traditional costumes of peasants from the 19th century.
Moreover, the film shows criminal gangs, corrupt policemen, bribery, nationalism, antisemitism. On top of that, the Russians (being Jewish, Chinese, and with the black skin color simultaneously, due to mysterious and twisted circumstances at birth) show the famous Russian hospitality and generosity, readiness to widely open their mysterious souls and to become brothers with complete strangers. As expected, women feed guests and the people passing by with the traditional dishes: sour cabbage right from the bucket, salads in enormous cans, salted cucumbers - all followed by some Vodka and more Vodka.
The story has a happy ending: it is, of course, about love between all the people of the world. Policemen and criminals hug, fighting relatives and colleagues forgive each other, the authorities provide the citizens of the country with a fair share of the treasure that is finally discovered. The ending suggests that all of us are brothers and sisters and the future is bright.
It is available to watch on youtube in official Mosfilm channel with english subs. "Shirley Myrli (comedy, dir. Vladimir Menshov, 1995)" Please be warned there is some bad language and some people may be offended.
Sparkling Gem !!
manfromplanetx29 August 2021
A lively comedy and visually spectacular, Shirli-myrli is an incredibly entertaining film. No need to expand on the diamond plot synopsis here, a highlight throughout, every excellent performance and the dual characterizations. The farcical story weaves in multi layers of social satire and is accompanied with wonderful classic and traditional music ! Most beautiful is the end composition which creates a soul stirring finale. Also known as "What a Mess" it is a dynamic captivating film, one to cherish for further indulgence, twice is not enough for me.....
A time of change and fragments of the past
alekspredator8710 August 2022
"Shirley-Myrli" is one of the iconic paintings of the mid-nineties. A completely wild farce, a movie that touches on a lot of interesting topics, and also tries to test various assumptions in cinema in order to understand how new, now Russian society is ready for the proposed level of humor. And despite the rather frank jokes and excessive provocative humor, the picture showed itself perfectly, becoming over the past decades literally a classic of the 1990s, a time of change and a new life on the fragments of the missing system.
Vladimir Menshov acted as the director of this picture, already being a successful and even Oscar-winning creator, giving the world such works as "Moscow does not believe in tears", "The Draw" and of course "Love and Doves". His "Shirley-Myrli" opens up a lot of actors from completely new sides. What are several characters worth at once, which are embodied on the screen by Valery Garkalin and the inimitable Oleg Tabakov. The latter was literally delighted to play such an atypical character for his career, giving the audience a memorable hero.
The plot revolves around a wildly expensive diamond found in Yakutia, which is capable of providing a comfortable life for the whole country if it is sold. However, during transportation with a valuable artifact, theft happens. From here, the amazing adventures of the heroes on the screen begin. The diamond is essentially a McGuffin in the picture. This is an item that is cherished, which certain persons want to get, but it takes a back seat to the plot. The first one is occupied by amazing stories, sometimes wildly comical and necessarily extraordinary, and, most importantly, which could hardly have been shown as shown in the picture before.
The above-mentioned Valery Garkalin, Oleg Tabakov, as well as Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, Inna Churikova, Igor Ugolnikov, Vera Alentova and many others smartly presented their characters. Such work of the whole team, together with an excellent production and a very interesting scenario, looks fresh and even unexpected in a young Russian society that still reticently perceives the novelty of such an approach. However, the work done by the creators of the project turned the tape into a cult one, literally crumbling into quotes, which even today are no-no, and slip among fans of this picture.
Cinema is a kind of satire on our society, has political and social overtones, which attentive viewers will definitely note for themselves. "Shirley-Myr'ly" is still remembered today with a smile and the film that I want to review somehow. An interesting story, a farewell to the Soviet past, a greeting to a new country, but all this happens with a kind of love of the creators. The film is good precisely because it has little connection with reality, but it necessarily relies on it. This approach was the very outlet for the difficult years of the last decade of the 20th century in Russia, becoming a generator of good mood, which is still remembered.
9 out of 10.
Vladimir Menshov acted as the director of this picture, already being a successful and even Oscar-winning creator, giving the world such works as "Moscow does not believe in tears", "The Draw" and of course "Love and Doves". His "Shirley-Myrli" opens up a lot of actors from completely new sides. What are several characters worth at once, which are embodied on the screen by Valery Garkalin and the inimitable Oleg Tabakov. The latter was literally delighted to play such an atypical character for his career, giving the audience a memorable hero.
The plot revolves around a wildly expensive diamond found in Yakutia, which is capable of providing a comfortable life for the whole country if it is sold. However, during transportation with a valuable artifact, theft happens. From here, the amazing adventures of the heroes on the screen begin. The diamond is essentially a McGuffin in the picture. This is an item that is cherished, which certain persons want to get, but it takes a back seat to the plot. The first one is occupied by amazing stories, sometimes wildly comical and necessarily extraordinary, and, most importantly, which could hardly have been shown as shown in the picture before.
The above-mentioned Valery Garkalin, Oleg Tabakov, as well as Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, Inna Churikova, Igor Ugolnikov, Vera Alentova and many others smartly presented their characters. Such work of the whole team, together with an excellent production and a very interesting scenario, looks fresh and even unexpected in a young Russian society that still reticently perceives the novelty of such an approach. However, the work done by the creators of the project turned the tape into a cult one, literally crumbling into quotes, which even today are no-no, and slip among fans of this picture.
Cinema is a kind of satire on our society, has political and social overtones, which attentive viewers will definitely note for themselves. "Shirley-Myr'ly" is still remembered today with a smile and the film that I want to review somehow. An interesting story, a farewell to the Soviet past, a greeting to a new country, but all this happens with a kind of love of the creators. The film is good precisely because it has little connection with reality, but it necessarily relies on it. This approach was the very outlet for the difficult years of the last decade of the 20th century in Russia, becoming a generator of good mood, which is still remembered.
9 out of 10.
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