Vodka Lemon

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Vodka Lemon

Released Oct 8, 2004

1h 30m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Hamo (Romen Avinian) lives in a small village in rural Armenia after the fall of the Soviet Union. As the village struggles to find its identity in the post-Soviet world, Hamo grieves for his wife, taking the bus to the cemetery every day to visit her grave. One day he meets Nina (Lala Sarkissian), a poor bar owner, who is at the cemetery visiting the resting place of her husband. Hamo and Nina gradually build a relationship founded on commiseration.

Critics Consensus

Vodka Lemon is a bleak and darkly funny comedy, just like its town and people.

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Ty Burr

Boston Globe

This is frostbitten Fellini -- a film that finds fresh beauty and contentment in the wake of centuries of conquering armies.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jun 3, 2005

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Jonathan Curiel

San Francisco Chronicle

Director Hiner Saleem has created a magical movie that veers, even within scenes, from love story to tragedy to comic relief.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 11, 2005

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Lisa Kennedy

Denver Post

Saleem nourishes his tale of the widower Hamo and widow Nina with a greening bud of romance. And he has wit and warmth to spare for all the movie's denizens.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 7, 2005

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Kam Williams

Upstage Magazine

Worthwhile for the cinematography alone, which is nothing short of inspired, such as the love scene shot through the pale pattern of a lace curtain, which dissolves almost imperceptibly into the whiteout of a steady blizzard.

Rated: 4/4

May 25, 2007

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Rex Roberts

Film Journal International

An appealing film, a window onto a part of the world passed over by history.

Feb 22, 2007

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Rob Thomas

Capital Times (Madison, WI)

The film ends on a surreal image of such remarkable whimsy and good cheer that it will keep you warm for a while after the credits roll.

Rated: 3/4

May 12, 2005

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Audience Member

(***): [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] Darkly funny. Worth a look.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

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Audience Member

Painfully slow and hardly any dialogue, found it hard to watch.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

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Audience Member

Cold, poverty and disappointment. But happiness is out there for everyone, we just have to take our chances. And vodka can always help.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

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Audience Member

I thought this movie tried to be thoughtful but instead it seemed to drag on with little interest.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Beautiful movie that allows space for the raw forces of human nature.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I couldn't find the root of the story but it was cute, and I loved the scenery.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

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Hiner Saleem

Director

Romen Avinian

Hamo

Lala Sarkissian

Nina

Ivan Franek

Dilovan

Armen Marutyan

Romik

Astrik Avaguian

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Synopsis

Hamo (Romen Avinian) lives in a small village in rural Armenia after the fall of the Soviet Union. As the village struggles to find its identity in the post-Soviet world, Hamo grieves for his wife, taking the bus to the cemetery every day to visit her grave. One day he meets Nina (Lala Sarkissian), a poor bar owner, who is at the cemetery visiting the resting place of her husband. Hamo and Nina gradually build a relationship founded on commiseration.

Director: Hiner Saleem
Producer: Fabrice Guez
Screenwriter: Hiner Saleem
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: Armenian
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 8, 2004, Original
Box Office (Gross USA): $57.8K
Runtime: 1h 30m