Dear Comrades! (2020)

Bradshaw calls the film a rage-filled triumph and a passionate drama of fear. He praises its stark re-creation of the massacre and its depiction of the bureaucracy and secrecy surrounding it.

Kiang praises the film as a meticulously crafted and compassionate reclamation of a suppressed massacre. She especially singles out the stark black-and-white cinematography and its carefully composed frames.

Macnab calls the film powerful and affecting, praising its vivid depiction of the Soviet system from within. He singles out Julia Vysotskaya’s searing performance as a grief-stricken woman torn between political loyalty and love for her daughter.

Lane calls the film Konchalovsky’s masterpiece and praises its calm, controlled artistry. He singles out Julia Vysotskaya’s deeply affecting performance as a devoted Communist driven to search for her daughter amid the massacre’s aftermath.

Chang gives the film a strongly positive verdict as a clear-eyed and visually striking reckoning with historical repression. He especially praises Julia Vysotskaya’s performance and the film’s depiction of the government’s swift, comprehensive cover-up.

The review praises the historical drama as gripping and sharply angry toward the Soviet system. It singles out its bitter laughs and icy fury.

Kohn finds the film a fiery, suspenseful drama that gives the massacre a human face. He especially praises its assured visual composition and the way Lyudmila’s search exposes her conflicting loyalties.

The review sees the film as a compelling dramatisation of a state atrocity and its cover-up. It praises the monochrome, Academy-ratio style while noting that the period pastiche is not the film’s main purpose.

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Cole finds the film effective in its depiction of the Soviet party’s response to a workers’ protest, but says its second half grows meandering and emotionally muted. He praises the harrowing portrayal of the state crackdown and the ironic final turn toward Soviet-cinema style.

Vishnevetsky argues the film turns a massacre into nationalist political spin and is weakened by static direction and flat speeches. He singles out the opening stretch’s humor and the later tension as welcome strengths.

Kermode calls the film a powerful tribute to the massacre’s victims and urges viewers not to miss it. She especially praises Yuliya Vysotskaya’s restrained performance and the film’s precise, shifting cinematography.

Smith finds the film devastating and meticulously crafted, though it starts slowly before building into intense political drama. She especially praises Yuliya Vysotskaya’s complex, remarkable performance at its center.

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