Vitaliy Melnikov's look at Czar Paul I of Russia is at once a biopic and a study of the Russian cultural ethos. Paul's reign was a short one - overshadowed by his mother and predecessor Catherine the Great - and it was beset by a number of crushing issues. "Bednyy bednyy Pavel" ("Poor Poor Paul" in English) does a good job focusing on this moment in history. I wouldn't go so far as to call this a masterpiece, but it's still an important movie. A lot of the humor is stuff that you'll only get if you understand Russian culture. The actors make sure to put a lot of emotion into their roles to emphasize the Russian ethos. Check it out.
Review of Bednyy, bednyy Pavel
