Lilya 4-Ever (2002)
AKA: Lilja 4-ever
Year: 2002
Directed by: Lukas Moodysson
Starring: Oksana Akinshina (Lilya), Artyom Bogucharskiy (Volodya), Pavel Ponomaryov (Andrei), Tonu Kark (Viktor)
Country: Sweden, Scandinavian Cinema, European Cinema
Language: Russian (English Subs)
Runtime: 01:44:36
Genres: Based on a True Story, Rape, Teensploitation, Old-Young, Human Trafficking-Prostitution, Family
Plot – Spoilers:
A teenager Lilya has grown up in the post-Soviet squalor and decay that her town has to offer. So she’s buzzing when she hears that her mother will be leaving for the United States to join her boyfriend whom she met online. The images of the US that Lilya has been exposed to, promise a far better and exciting life. But a few days before they’re due to leave, her mother tells Lilya she won’t be coming with her. The shattering of Lilya’s dreams from here is slow but sure, and she eventually starts selling herself when the bitter cold and lack of food offer prostitution as the quickest and easiest route to survival.
Lilya has a fuck-you attitude – like when she’s being called a whore by the local boys, she doesn’t scurry away in embarrassment. It’s the slow burial of this spirit and her will to fight by the end of the movie, that makes this one of the deeper portrayals of angst and prostitution.
Favorite Scenes:
The two occasions Lilya is on the threshold of leaving her town:
Her spirits are high, she is more conscious of her surroundings, and she almost reminds herself that there is nothing worthy here that she’s leaving behind, other than her miserable friend Volodya. During a second watch of the movie, these scenes are heightened because you know what’s looming ahead for Lilya. It’s like a couple of lines from ‘Forever Young’ (a remix of which plays when Lilya and Andrei are out having fun):
Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst…
Random:
Based on a Lithuanian girl, Danguole Rasalaite.
The Unloved is another movie that has a powerful scene involving the abandonment of a daughter by a mother.
This gut wrenching movie made me cry a total of 7 times, which for me is a whole lot, since I’ve literally never in my life cried because of a movie. This is the type of movie that you only watch once. The amount of emotion I felt throughout the film was insane, it does an amazing job at portraying Lilya’s life through the camera work. The actors did such a wonderful job at playing the roles, especially the then 12 year old Artyom Bogucharsky who played Volodya. The characters are so well written, that I honestly don’t think I’ll be able to ever get over how beautifully made this movie was, although I’ll never be able to watch it again, since I won’t forget it. This is fully now my favorite movie of all time, nothing can top this, ever. Now I’m in no place to say this, but I honestly think this movie should receive some sort of award. There’s no amount of words that can explain how this movie made me feel, even though I’m writing this lengthy review. If you’re looking through the reviews of this movie, before watching it, and you just so happen to stumble upon my review, I honestly don’t recommend watching this movie, unless you want to think about it for the rest of your life. I was planning to watch some more movies after this, but now I’m just going to sit in my room and think about it for a… Read more »
It’s good.. but it’s no your name is Justine which has a better lengthier story.
The two kids playing the lead are excellent though. Just the story is over far too quick
Raw and unapologetic film that will put you right into the shoes of its main character – which will be an experience you won’t shake off soon.
Light 7
Shiet Russia be like a good place and shiet because Dey don’t got fags and trannies on da news
Sad really, she drew the short end of the straw at every turn.
I remember a time when screwing hookers was considered Rock n Roll !!
Such lame times we live in now,,,
So what does the director suggest that lonely men and women who can’t get laid do then? The film didn’t offer any solution to that problem..
I am laughing at al the religious imagery the director forced (angel wings etc) this was condsidered “edgy” in Sweden back when this movie was made.. The majority of the countrys population was/is atheist so believing in god was something just done for attention. Lukas Moodysson is a gay rights activist with movies like “Show me love (Fucking Ã…mÃ¥l)” so he clearly doesn’t understand his homophobic Holy Bible… he is really confused. Thankfully he has now stopped putting this stuff into his films.
How come y’all dont mention its based on the real case of DanguolÄ— RasalaitÄ—?
Great comedy, 10/10
That was my life. In fact, I was driven to psychopathy. All m3n are the same. All m3n must suffer.
I dont think i have ever sobbed this hard. Heart-wrenching…
i feel depressed now
I wonder if the documentary for the story behind this film is available.
I don’t know how to feel anymore, I’m going through a bad time and suicide is the most I think of and I didn’t think this movie was like that until I watched it and it’s just making me think in the worst ways.
This film left me speechless…
Probably the saddest, most brutal movie I’ve ever seen. What makes it so impactful is that stories like this are happening all the time, everywhere. Highly recommended if you are not having suicidal thoughts as another comment here
sad but very good movie. the story is uglier than any gore you can find in this site.
outstanding film making
Damn fine movie. The younger actors did a great job of making me care about them. Fine pick!
Grim. Haunting. Effedup? Not so much. A harsh reality for some people, I would think. Didn’t immediately dawn on me that she was following much the same path as her mother did. Very good film, just not particularly happy.
I picked quite a real gem here.
comfort movie
Great Film
I thought it was a good movie. A little grim at times, but had a happy ending.
excellent films – many thanx for the link ! x
the first movie that really impacted me
Awesome music, great acting, sublime ending.
o filme é mto bom .
triste porem mostra a realidade
One of those movies that has stayed with me for a long while, a few years anyway.
Suicide contemplators should avoid watching this. It is fucking grim. 5 out of 5 – great movie.
An accurate description of life in soviet union right after it’s collapse till late 2000 (believe me I was there when there was no colored TV in houses). However many of these young girls working all around the world are not victims but they do it voluntarily, partly because they hate their country and wanna get out and partly because they’ve got nothing else to offer.
Very emotional and well acted! I recommend this movie.Thank you admin.
Oooffffff I’m not crying you are!! Superb acting from the 2 youngsters think I need some fcked up blood and gore film now to cheer me up!! BTW the actress Oksana Akinshina (Lilya) was the lead actress in last years film Sputnik
Delightful adventure. Loved it!!!
if you’re in the right mood it can get 6.8/10 but in this category Your name is Justine better imho
I love this movie!
I saw it when I was 10yrs old or such, then I saw it a couple more times and (maybe because i am a sociopath kinda) I never considered it disturbed! Welp, thanks for this! 😀
Thanks for ruining hookers for me.
Comfort Film.
Brilliant acting. A real surprise find. Thanks admin
Absolutely beautiful! Very emotional I think I may have shed a tear, my favorite type of effed up film don’t need to have gore to make a fucked up movie. 10/10 reminds me somewhat of Christiane F another great one.
Really good movie. You already know it will be a good movie just with the whole beginning with the music and stuff.
Sadly, things like this are normal in a lot of places. And is a combination of things, bad family members, bad “friends” and etc.
Knowing how to make decisions is another good thing to know, is the difference between still being alive and somewhat having a “happy” life with what you have, and doing prostitution, doing drugs in some public bathroom and end up abused and dead. And this shows in the final scene where the girl acted different, told that guy that was her “bf” to fuck off and helped that old lady. Things could have been different if she chose that course of actions, instead of the one she ended up choosing.
Anyway, really good movie, i like it.
Favourite movie i’ve seen on this site so far
caught me offguard, i came for the fucked up content and got lured into caring enough to almost forming a tear by the end which is testemrnt to the quality level of the young actors as well the story telling and gd job at keeping everything very concievable /realistic,well i realy enjoyed it ,no gore or graphic rape scenes but bit of heart stuff instead which llike everything is all good in moderation,,8/10
Beautiful ..very sad an one that does get you thinking of life the bad an some good .thanx eff as horrible the subject this is a movie that hit the heart …
The young actors are very good, sad movie but believable probably happens all the time. Thanks admins of EUM for this one.
Is the grass any greener on the other side….America. A good movie, a little slow but the impact of reality does hurt some.