The defence The Auteur Devotee
“Form is the argument.”
Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.
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Siberian Education
Drama · Crime · 2013
The story of a gang of children growing up in a community of banished criminals, in a forgotten corner of the former Soviet Union. This community rejects the world outside. The only law it obeys… is its own. Against this backdrop two best friends, Kolyma and Gagarin, gradually become fierce enemies as they find themselves on opposite sides of the strict code of honour of the ‘honest criminal’ brotherhood.
Movie details
Siberian Education
“In the mid-1980s, a Siberian gang leader is exiled to a small town on the Ukrainian border where he teaches his grandson the “honest criminal” code.”
2013 Drama · Crime 1h 50m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.8 / 10
Community rating
The story of a gang of children growing up in a community of banished criminals, in a forgotten corner of the former Soviet Union. This community rejects the world outside. The only law it obeys… is its own. Against this backdrop two best friends, Kolyma and Gagarin, gradually become fierce enemies as they find themselves on opposite sides of the strict code of honour of the ‘honest criminal’ brotherhood.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Siberian Education?
For the defence
The Auteur Devotee
“You watch the director, not the movie.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
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Above the Rim
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King Ivory
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The Grissom Gang
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The Public Eye
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A crime photographer gets involved in a conspiracy.
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Gabriele Salvatores
Written by
Sandro Petraglia · Stefano Rulli · Gabriele Salvatores
John Malkovich
Grandfather Kuzya
Arnas Fedaravičius
Kolyma
Vilius Tumalavicius
Gagarin
Eleanor Tomlinson
Xenya
Peter Stormare
Ink
Jonas Trukanas
Mel
Andrius Paulavičius
Russian Sergeant
Court is in session
Put Siberian Education on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Technique in search of a pulse.”
Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.