On International Women's Day, Anton Maslov's film "Going" was released on Russian screens.

The plot is based on the true story of Anna Smolina, who on May 1, 2017 went on a bicycle trip around the country and covered several thousand kilometers to meet her mother.

Smolina's travel notes were later included in the book "Why sit at home?".

The main role was played by Olga Lerman.

Also in the tape starred Victor Khorinyak, Elena Yakovleva, Dmitry Chebotarev, Askar Ilyasov, Alina Alekseeva and others.

On-screen Anya has a good job, a close friend, her beloved dog Capa and a young man (who, however, betrays her and quickly becomes an ex).

The girl is not satisfied with life, and at the celebration of her 30th birthday, she remains alone in the restaurant.

But the former lover (Dmitry Chebotarev) appears with flowers and the courier Alik (Askar Ilyasov) with a gift.

Anya refuses the bouquet and leaves in the company of Alik.

However, loneliness continues to haunt her.

The girl decides to change her life, sends Alik instead of herself to her friend (Alina Alekseeva), and herself, taking a bicycle and attaching a carrier for Capa, leaves Moscow for Nizhny Novgorod, where she grew up.

Upon arrival, the girl finds out that her mother is not in the city - she left for Magadan.

Without losing enthusiasm, she builds a route about 10 thousand km long and sets off.

Anya announces her plans on her blog and unexpectedly receives a lot of negative comments: no one believes that she will achieve her goal, and some even think that the girl is pursuing selfish goals and thus trying to become famous.

However, all this only provokes the heroine.

  • © Shot from the film "Went" (2023)

At first, Anya shifts responsibility to others and seems infantile, but gradually she reveals herself from the other side.

The reproachful voice of her mother often sounds in her head, which is an interesting solution to the dialogues of the heroine with her parent performed by Elena Yakovleva.

Anya is subject to a state of "excessive thinking": past grievances do not let her go.

However, traveling around the country allows her not only to see the diversity of nature and people, but also to plunge deep into herself.

The further she pedals, the more not only landscapes change, but also her inner world.

With every kilometer, cities and villages are left behind, the people that Anya encounters, as well as anxieties, fears and the desire to blame everyone for everything.

The inner girl in the heroine grows older, stronger and calmer with each new stop.

There are no obvious plot holes or underdeveloped characters in the tape.

Despite the fact that Anya is at the center of the story, each character is a necessary and important link, whether they are minor characters (Ilyasova and Alekseeva) or episodic ones (for example, Olesya Zheleznyak and Anastasia Svetlova).

Victor Khorinyak is especially remembered in the role of the good-natured Valera, who at the right time is always next to Anya.

Khorinyak gives all the best in every scene and at the same time does not outshine Lerman.

This is not the first time the actors have been working in a couple, but in “Going” their duet looks in a new way. 

The film from the very beginning attracts attention with living characters, visual design, mild humor and does not let go until the final credits, accompanied by the music of Ilya Lagutenko and the Mumiy Troll group.

Cameraman Sergey Komarov, Jr., who is not the first to work with the director, managed to capture the indescribably beautiful expanses of Russia and convey the color and originality of a particular region in each frame.

Spectacular locations make you want to go on a tour of the country, if not by bike, then at least by car or plane.

Poehavshaya is a cinematic ode to the cultural and landscape diversity of Russia, revealed through a personal story.

The film captivates not only with the plot and picture, but also with a warm, kind atmosphere.

At the same time, it does not slide into a stereotypical fairy tale with an unconvincing happy ending - here the ending is absolutely logical and appropriate.

Nevertheless, the story is taken from real life, and the veracity of its display on the screen does not raise any doubts, despite some plot discrepancies with the book.