The Italian

PG-13

Released Jan 19, 2007

1h 37m

Drama

List

91%

Tomatometer

93 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Abandoned by his mother, 6-year-old Vanya (Kolya Spiridonov) lives in an orphanage run by a greedy woman (Mariya Kuznetsova) and her cruel lover (Nikolai Reutov). Vanya decides to run away and find his mother after a wealthy Italian couple offer to buy him and after observing that the older children in the home survive by stealing or prostitution. He faces many dangers on his journey, including the pair at the orphanage who tried to sell him.

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Critics Consensus

Poignant and unforgettable, The Italian stands out from other European melodramas. Like its extraordinary child lead, this Russian drama about an orphan's search for his birth mother is small in size and monumental in pathos.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

The movie’s notable for its striking location photography, though the action is framed as both a play and a novel...

Jul 14, 2022

Full Review

Stella Papamichael

BBC.com

Even when Kravchuck lets the story drift, the boy is a solid anchor.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 24, 2008

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David Jenkins

Time Out

Andrei Kravchuk's film is sensitive to the hilt and pleasingly attuned to the guileless outlook of its hero.

Rated: 4/6

Jan 24, 2008

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Jonathan Kiefer

Sacramento News & Review

Rated: 4/5

Aug 7, 2008

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Robert Davis

Paste Magazine

With a tensed brow, Kolya Spiridonov plays a boy perpetually hovering between anxiety and dogged determination, and the film walks the same line, unsure about where it's going but always moving forward regardless.

Jun 9, 2008

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Matthew Turner

ViewLondon

Rated: 4/5

Jan 25, 2008

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StephenPaul C

The greatest 01 hour: and 37 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Russian cast entirely speaks English!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/26/23

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dave s

Set in rural Russia, six-year-old Vanya, while waiting for his adoption to be finalized, decides to escape from his orphanage and embark on a journey to find his birth mother. The first half of The Italian, set in the orphanage, effectively uses muted tones and soft focus to establish the conditions the children experience, a drab and cold existence where hope for the future seems to be nothing more than a fleeting thought. As tragic as it feels, it is riveting viewing. The second half of the movie loses a bit of steam as Vanya escapes an unlikely number of close calls and chance encounters as authorities pursue him, leading to a predictable and improbable final scene. The movie is saved by the charming and charismatic performance of the young actor who plays the runaway, a performance that gives the film a sense of credibility that would otherwise be lacking.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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raphael v

Gritty. Real. Excellent performances.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Andrei Kravchuk's engrossing Russian drama explores the world of international adoption.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

An incredibly moving story, beautifully presented, ripped my heart right out of my body.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Relato dickensiano enternecedor, de sorprendente sencillez, muy bien actuado por su pequeño protagonista, y que revela una triste realidad en la Rusia contemporánea.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

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Andrey Kravchuk

Director

Kolya Spiridonov

Vanya

Mariya Kuznetsova

Woman

Nikolai Reutov

Grisha

Denis Moiseenko

Koliyan

Sasha Sirotkin

Seriy

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Critical Consensus: "King" And "Queen" Are Movie Royalty; "Labyrinth" Worth Exploring; "Hitcher" Not Screened

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Synopsis

Abandoned by his mother, 6-year-old Vanya (Kolya Spiridonov) lives in an orphanage run by a greedy woman (Mariya Kuznetsova) and her cruel lover (Nikolai Reutov). Vanya decides to run away and find his mother after a wealthy Italian couple offer to buy him and after observing that the older children in the home survive by stealing or prostitution. He faces many dangers on his journey, including the pair at the orphanage who tried to sell him.

Director: Andrey Kravchuk
Producer: Andrei Zertsalov
Screenwriter: Andrei Romanov
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Lenfilm Studio
Rating: PG-13 (Some Violence|Sexual Content|Language|Thematic Issues)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 19, 2007, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 15, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $552.5K
Runtime: 1h 37m

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