Watching the Boats Go By: Some Thoughts on Les bateliers de la Volga

Is this for you?

If you like your cinema heavy on the atmosphere and light on the snappy dialogue, you might actually dig this. But if you get impatient when a plot doesn't kick into high gear by the ten-minute mark, skip it. You will probably find it a bit of a slog, honestly. 🚣‍♂️

The whole thing feels like it was filmed in a different century, which, well, it kind of was. There is this heavy, damp weight to every frame.

The vibe

There are moments where the camera just lingers on the men's faces. They look exhausted in a way that feels painfully real, not like they are just acting for the paycheck. It reminded me a bit of the raw, unpolished energy you find in Borinage, though the two movies are doing very different things.

I found myself staring at the background extras more than the leads sometimes. One guy in the third row of the haulers has this look of pure, unadulterated boredom that I suspect wasn't scripted at all. It is those little mistakes that keep me watching.

The rhythm

The pacing is… well, let's call it deliberate. Maybe too deliberate. There are scenes that stretch on until you start counting the cracks in the wooden barges. I think that is the point, though. They want you to feel the drag of the ropes.

Still, sometimes the movie tries a bit too hard to be profound. You can feel the director nudging you, going, "Hey, look at how tragic this is!" It would have been better if they just let the river do the talking.

Random notes from my notepad:

• The lighting in the cabin scenes is surprisingly moody.
• The dialogue feels like it was translated by someone who really loves the word 'destiny'.
• I swear I saw a bird fly into the frame and ruin a take, but they kept it in anyway. Nice.
• The sheer amount of mud on everyone's boots is a technical marvel.

It is not a perfect film. It is lopsided and occasionally forgets where it is going. But it has a pulse. And in a world of movies that feel like they were assembled by a committee, I will take a slightly messy, muddy, over-long river epic any day of the week.

It is not going to change your life, but it might make you look at your own job and think, "Well, at least I don't have to pull a boat for forty miles today." That is enough for me. 🌊