On Thursday, June 8, the fantasy film by Eldar Salavatov ("Pirammida", "Mothers") about the oriental adventures of the Moscow young man Timur and his grandfather in Uzbekistan is released in wide release. Filming took place in Moscow, Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara.
The role of Timur was played by Leonid Basov, and his parents were Andrei Merzlikin and Elena Polyakova. Grandfather was played by Alexander Ilyin. In addition, Uzbek artists Muhammadiso Abdulkhairov and Abror Bakirov, as well as aspiring actress Kamila Yakubova, starred in the film. In the crowd scenes in the bazaar, real merchants were involved. The market continued to live its own life even during filming.
In the center of the story is an ordinary Moscow family, 12-year-old Timur and his parents. In the story, Timur's dad opened a business that, as it seemed to him, would unite relatives. However, in fact, it turned out the opposite. Mom had to leave the career of a successful lawyer and work not only as an accountant, but also as a courier in her own store. Things are not going well in it, which upsets and angers the woman, and she does not hide her feelings.
Wanting to help the family save the business from bankruptcy, Timur sells toys at school. Both the parents of the students and the administration of the institution do not like this. At a meeting with a psychologist, the boy's mother emotionally voices the only correct decision in her opinion - divorce. Timur's father, a meek and calm man, believes that his wife has an overly critical view of everything. The psychologist, looking at all this, advises the family to spend time together on vacation.
The heroes decide to go to the Uzbek village where Timur's grandfather lives. However, in the eastern country, the boy hears his parents swearing, and his mother expresses a desire to go away from everyone. Timur is sure that if you save the business, you will be able to save the family.
- © Still from the movie "The Sun Tastes" (2023)
In his grandfather's workshop, Timur finds an ancient relic - an aigrette, which he discovered in his garden. The boy finds out that the treasure belonged to the last Emir of Bukhara, Seyid Alimkhan, and decides to sell the find, and use the proceeds to pay the debts of his parents. To do this, he goes to Tashkent, where he meets the writer Farhat Seitovich (Abdulkhairov), who has repeatedly mentioned the emir's aigrette in his works, and the young Gulya, who has a deep interest in historical and archaeological exhibits. Farhat Seitovich is ready to buy the aigrette, but Gulya convinces Timur that the treasure is priceless.
Gulya is researching the lost treasures of the emir and is convinced that the aigrette may be the key to the portal to another world where the treasure is hidden. To confirm the hypothesis, the trio goes on an exciting (gradually becoming dangerous) journey to the most ancient cities of the world - Samarkand and Bukhara. Wanting to possess a jewel, a mysterious thief follows them on their heels.
The expedition will unite grandfather and grandson, who have not seen each other for a long time, and it will be difficult to believe not only others, but also themselves in what they will experience together.
The tandem of Ilyin and Basov looks organic on the screen, and in general, the cast of the project is extremely successful. It is easy to believe the experiences of Timur, whose actions are guided primarily by the desire to see his parents happy together. Basov, who had previously played the central role in the film by Alexander Domogarov Jr. "Palm", managed to sustain the character of his hero until the very end.
Merzlikin and Polyakova convincingly showed a couple whose relationship is kept on the verge of a breakup. The characters are clearly tired not only of the constant race for a good life, but also of each other, because they have ceased to hear and understand their soul mate. It seems to the wife that the husband is too calm, while their ship is sinking, and to the husband that the pessimistic attitude and critical attitude of the wife to everything break any positive impulses.
Muhammadiso Abdulkhairov is also beautiful in his image. In the words and deeds of the hero from the very beginning, aristocracy is felt, mixed with arrogance and snobbery towards other people, which is fully justified by the storyline.
It is impossible not to notice the young star Kamila Yakubova, who made a worthy company of the experienced Basov. The actress is not only cinematic, but also has all the makings of the skill of reincarnation. Her heroine is a kind of nerd. Guli's parents are archaeologists, the girl herself studies a lot of literature and conducts her own investigations.
If the bodily language and facial expressions of young actors are developed for a good game, they still have a lot of work to do on diction and voice, since it is the sound that gives them overplaying and underplaying. The voices sound unconvincing and uncertain.
Another serious disadvantage of the picture is lifeless dialogues. Often one gets the impression that the authors prescribed them in a great hurry.
- © Still from the movie "The Sun Tastes" (2023)
However, there are still more advantages in the film than disadvantages. In addition to the fascinating plot, a detailed demonstration of oriental flavor and traditions is fascinating. Every time Grandpa says hello, he puts his hand to his heart. This gesture expresses not only respect for the interlocutor, but also means that he has forever settled in the heart.
Another feature characteristic of the countries of Central Asia is shown in the scene when the grandfather catches a glimpse of the past and observes his wife. He refers to her as "you" - this is how it is customary for spouses to address each other in the East, showing respect not only in actions, but also in words. Modernity and globalization make their own amendments to different cultures, and such an appeal becomes archaic, but it still persists among the older generation, which was correctly conveyed by the screenwriters of the film Yulia Lukshina and Sergey Lakhtin.
The camerawork was also carried out with skill: the Uzbek cinematographer Bakhodir Yuldashev did not miss the beauty of the country, conveying both the natural splendor and the architectural uniqueness of the area.
In general, the film, shot in co-production between Russia and Uzbekistan, turned out to be quite successful. It has a compelling story, a fast-paced plot, a dramatic element, and beautiful visuals. Watching "The Sun to Taste" is a great occasion for parental reflection and family pastime during the summer holidays.