Name: The Son
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2023-10-02T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Igor Sadreev, Andrey Plakhov, Nikita Mikhalkov, Sergey Mikhalkov

The opening shot of The Son (2023) lingers on a faded photograph, its edges worn with time—a fitting metaphor for the film’s central premise. Directed by Igor Sadreev, this documentary purports to offer an unbiased biography of the iconic Russian filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov, drawing from archive footage and interviews with figures like Andrey Plakhov. Yet, despite its lofty ambitions, The Son stumbles in its execution.

Sadreev’s approach is methodical, even clinical. The film weaves together archival clips of Mikhalkov—both on and off the screen—and commentary from collaborators, aiming to dissect the man behind the myth. The most compelling moments come when the documentary leans into Mikhalkov’s contradictions: his towering presence in Russian cinema contrasted with his controversial political stances. A particularly striking sequence juxtaposes Mikhalkov’s triumphant acceptance speeches at film festivals with snippets of his public statements, forcing viewers to grapple with the disconnect between art and ideology.

However, The Son falters when it tries too hard to be definitive. The documentary’s claim to objectivity is undermined by its reliance on archive footage that often feels carefully curated to paint a specific portrait. While Sadreev includes critical voices, they are drowned out by the reverence of Mikhalkov’s admirers, leaving little room for nuance. Additionally, the film’s pacing drags in its middle act, bogged down by lengthy excerpts from Mikhalkov’s films that, while visually striking, do little to advance the narrative.

The performances—if one can call them that—are limited to the archival appearances of Mikhalkov and others. Here, the film benefits from the sheer charisma of its subject, who dominates every frame with his magnetic presence. Yet, the absence of fresh interviews or contemporary perspectives leaves a gaping hole in the narrative, making it feel more like a retrospective than a revelation.

In the end, The Son is a fascinating but flawed examination of one of Russia’s most complex cultural figures. It succeeds in capturing Mikhalkov’s impact on cinema but fails to deliver the promised depth or objectivity. The documentary is at its best when it embraces ambiguity, but too often, it settles for hagiography.

MCM Score: 6.1/10 — craft 2 / story 1.5 / performances 1.5 / originality 1.5 / genre_fit 1.