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Directed by: Lukas Moodysson Starring: Oksana Akinshina, Artyom Bogucharsky, Pavel Ponomaryov When I decided to write this review, I had a deep crisis of the heart, a question that kept me up all last night: Do I spell the title the Swedish way ("Lilja 4-ever") or the Russian/American way ("Lilya 4-ever")? I opted on the latter, but I'm still not sure... Halfway through "Lilya 4-ever," I wanted to kill myself because I realized, as an avid porn fan, I've contributed to the horror that people like Lilya (Akinshina) endure. No wonder they drink so much goddamn vodka: Lilya's mother leaves her in the care of her aunt when she leaves for America, Lilya's own aunt takes her apartment and forces Lilya to move into this squalid poverty-farm complex, Lilya takes up prostitution, Lilya gets raped, Lilya gets gangraped, Lilya gets conned by the promise of a better life, Lilya turns into a rape slave for dozens of old Swedes, Lilya's only friend commits suicide at the age of 11, Lilya finally escapes from her cell, Lilya commits suicide, the end. People who like "Requiem for a Dream" would have to call its ending downbeat in the face of "Lilya 4-ever." This is in such stark contrast with Moodysson's previous work, a Danish drama about an occasionally lesbian teenager called "loving Amal," that it's hard to believe it's from the same director, but goddamn if he doesn't wring every last ounce of depressing drama from Lilya's hosed-up life. It's hard to watch, but drat, it's a good movie. Just not one I'll watch again anytime soon. RATING: 5.0 PROS: Realistic, well-written, thoroughly makes its depressing point CONS: Director uses Shakicam technology a little too much ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0300140/
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Nov 3, 2005 22:42
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Like "Requiem for a Dream" this movie takes you into some dark places. The movie got hooked me early starting with Lilya’s stumbling run down the well maintained streets of a European city accompanied by the bleak music of Ramstein. The mood then dramatically changes with the slums of the Soviet Union rolling by with cheap uplifting electronica. There a few mis-steps with characters appearing with angel wings feeling quite heavy handed given the mood of the rest of the movie. But Lilya's naiveté, hope and the casual cruelty of her betrayers will stay with you for quite some time.
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Nov 6, 2005 08:25
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Just saw the film. Voted 5/5. Now...anyone know where I can find this on DVD region 1 or 0? All the DVDs I've found so far are either region 2 or 3. 
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Nov 7, 2005 06:23
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AFK posted:Just saw the film. Voted 5/5. Now...anyone know where I can find this on DVD region 1 or 0? All the DVDs I've found so far are either region 2 or 3. Sorry for the derail.
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Nov 7, 2005 08:10
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Frontalot posted:This is in such stark contrast with Moodysson's previous work, a Danish drama about an occasionally lesbian teenager called "loving Amal," that it's hard to believe it's from the same director, but goddamn if he doesn't wring every last ounce of depressing drama from Lilya's hosed-up life. loving Åmål is also Swedish. Anyway, Lilja 4-ever is a very good movie, although the angel scenes are kinda cheesy.
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Dec 3, 2005 00:37
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This is by far one of the best movies I ever seen in my life. So griity and real it feels like a documentary almost. I was pleasantly surprised to see it reviewed here. 5/5
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Dec 8, 2005 05:29
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It saddens me to see "loving Amal" even mentioned in a thread about Lilya 4-ever. loving Amal was a banal, boring, trite 'love story' that tried to balance being different/provocative/curious with being cute/happy/pleasant. Lilya 4-ever is one of the most staggeringly bleak films I've ever seen in my life. I'd put it on par with Threads. This is one of those movies where you just dread every single scene and pray for escape, because you know that Lilya is screwed and there is no way out. Well, there are some moments in the film where it looks like there is a chance that it may all turn around, but ultimately... well, just watch it for yourself. The fact that this film gets that emotion out of me, the dread and foreboding, means that it does what it set out to do, and it does it exceptionally well. If there was ever a film that makes you glad to be alive, safe, secure and healthy, it is this. Or Threads. 4/5 TCC: Dude, you gotta play miniature golf.
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Jan 3, 2006 06:03
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Even more depressing than Todd Solondz' films. You'll hate yourself for being a man after watching this, doubly if you have watched porn. At the end there is a montage of all the clients she is forced to have sex with, from HER POV. 5/5
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Jan 3, 2006 17:32
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daemon posted:There a few mis-steps with characters appearing with angel wings feeling quite heavy handed given the mood of the rest of the movie. But Lilya's naiveté, hope and the casual cruelty of her betrayers will stay with you for quite some time. If it weren't for that somewhat cheesy relief, I'm pretty sure half the viewers would've commited suicide the moment the film was over. The entire film I was hoping for a deux ex machina, and for Lilya to live happily ever after. No luck. Overall the movie was fantastically done and managed to literally send shivers up my spine. 4/5 because the ending was so goddamn sad
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Mar 29, 2006 07:42
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This is one extremely horrible movie, in a terribly good kind of way, and yes it's going to stay with you for a long time. I've put off seeing it for a long time since I knew it would make me depressed and now I wish I could unsee it 'cause I feel like poo poo right now... 5/5 but don't see it if you're easily depressed. Iblys posted:It saddens me to see "loving Amal" even mentioned in a thread about Lilya 4-ever. loving Amal was a banal, boring, trite 'love story' that tried to balance being different/provocative/curious with being cute/happy/pleasant. That's not what loving Åmål is about. loving Åmål is about growing up in bumfuck nowhere and not conforming to narrow minded redneck norms. I assume that you're not swedish since most swedes wouldn't even have reflected much over the lesbian lovestory part.
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Oct 10, 2010 20:58
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I saw this one right after it came out on dvd, and it still sits with me. I dont ever want to watch it again - I couldnt take it. It sucks out your soul, chews it up, tears it up and hands you back the pieces - leaving you alone with the task of re-assembling it. As said I never want to see this ever again - but I am very very glad I have, atleast the once. It gives a harsh perspective, and a neat little reference point for when you think you are having a lovely time. And yes - Lilya 4-ever. 5/5
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Feb 2, 2011 08:33
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For me, reviewing this movie is as futile as analyzing a boot while being repeatedly kicked in the face. Somehow this movie rises above its tropes, and made me empathize on a level I was really uncomfortable with. 5/5
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Feb 19, 2015 01:22
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