MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON (1984) - Movie Review

Director: Paul Mazursky
Starring: Robin Williams, Maria Conchita Alonso, Cleavant Derricks, Alejandro Rey, Saveliy Kramarov, Elya Baskin
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Writer: Paul Mazursky, Leon Capetanos
Runtime: 115 min
Rated: R
Buy This Movie: Blu-ray (Amazon), DVD (Amazon), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

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Synopsis:

Robin Williams will make you laugh and cry as a freedom-loving Soviet defector in this brilliant, thought-provoking romantic comedy. Circus saxophonist Vladimir Ivanoff (Williams) suddenly defects from his touring troupe in that temple of Western decadence - Bloomingdale's. Fleeing the K.G.B., Vladimir wins asylum and moves into the crowded Harlem flat of black security guard Lionel Witherspoon (Cleavant Derricks). Soon he has found both a voluptuous Italian lover Lucia Lombardo (Maria ConchitaAlonso), and a shrewd Cuban lawyer Orlando Ramirez (Alejandro Rey). Though Vladimir learns that life in America can be cold and even painful, he grows to love this strange and wondrous new land. Director Paul Mazursky has truly transformed Vladimir's declaration of independence into a very memorable film.

Review:

"Moscow on the Hudson" is a criminally underrated Robin Williams movie, perhaps because many expected it to be a zany comedy. The film is a bittersweet fish-out-of-water story that follows Russian circus saxophonist Vladimir Ivanoff (Williams) as he defects to the US when his circus troupe performs in New York. He aspires to the American dream, but there are many obstacles to overcome. Along the way he befriends black security guard Lionel Witherspoon (Cleavant Derricks), finds love with Italian Bloomingdale saleswoman Lucia Lombardo (Maria Conchita Alonso), and obtains legal assistance from Cuban lawyer Orlando Ramirez (Alejandro Rey). Vladimir's quest for freedom, however requires one big sacrifice: leaving his family behind and never being able to ever go home again.

The film is a drama first and comedy second, with the film's humor arising from co-writer/director Paul Mazursky's insightful observation of the human experience. Williams is wonderful and I'd say it's one of the actor's best roles. He did a lot of research, studying the Soviet way of life and learning to speak Russian at an almost conversational level, and the result is a very authentic performance, not just Williams doing an imitation of a Russian. It's quite possibly the best Russian accent I've ever heard in a movie. Williams even learned to play saxophone for the movie, and maybe it's just a movie trivia legend, but his music instructor apparently claimed Williams had achieved in only months a level of proficiency that would normally take a student two years. Maria Conchita Alonso is also riveting, bursting with charm in a fantastic big screen debut, and her chemistry with Williams is fantastic.

Mazursky keeps the story grounded, offering realistic and heartfelt insight into the immigrant life. It's funny and heartbreaking in just the right amounts to keep audiences entertained while also delivering powerful, emotionally resonant drama. The idea for the film came from the filmmaker's grandfather, who emigrated from Ukraine nearly 80 years before. Mazursky worked closely with the Russian immigrant community and his research really pays off in the first part of the film, which is an extremely realistic depiction of Cold War-era communist Russia.

"Moscow on the Hudson" is not anti-Russian or pro-USA. Mazursky is far too clever to dumb his movie down to propaganda, instead opting for a humanist approach that reaches well beyond politics and aims straight for the heart in a mature exploration of the yearning for freedom and the struggles and sacrifices made by those who flee their homelands for whatever reason in search for a better life. It's a sincere and honest depiction of the immigrant experience that doesn't slam you over the head with its message, but instead invites you to experience the life of Vladimir Ivanoff.

SCORE: 9/10