[yasr_overall_rating]
The volatile intersections of contemporary Moscow and the intimate lives of five people.
“Moscow Never Sleeps” is a thriller written and directed by Johnny O’Reilly. This ensemble piece follows the lives of several different citizens of Moscow as they struggle through their issues for twenty-four hours. While it is labeled a thriller, it falls more in line with being a comedy with thriller tendencies.
The story progresses with each character in a slow pace, but the growth of the film never feels stale. O’Reilly did a fantastic job with the writing to keep the audience entertained with all the different storylines, but never throwing too much information in your face at one time. There are beautiful, simplistic moments between characters that show a maturity in the filming without the need to force the viewer into information before they are ready.
One of the best parts of the movie though was the film’s score. The music instantly connected you to the look and feel of a modern-day Moscow. From the first seconds of the film, when you hear a pulsing, as if it were a human heart, to the magnificent orchestra pieces that slowly interweave themselves in and out of the scene, the whole score was exciting and added another layer of excellence to the movie.
Overall, this was an excellent movie that I would recommend to anyone. You will be taken in from the first question of heaven or hell? To the last moments where we realize that Moscow is a hell, that we never want to leave.
In select theaters Friday, June 9th
