Odnazhdy letom: A Bumpy Ride Through Soviet Slapstick

Is it worth your time?

If you like old-school slapstick and don't mind when a movie feels like it’s vibrating with nervous energy, give Odnazhdy letom a shot. It is a weird, dusty relic that clearly wants to be a big adventure but keeps getting distracted by its own jokes. If you hate movies where characters make bad decisions for the sake of the plot, steer clear. This one is fueled entirely by bad decisions and a very shaky car.

The whole thing feels like a fever dream of early Soviet motoring. Telescope and Zhora are just these two wide-eyed guys trying to make it to Moscow, and honestly, their homemade car looks like it would fall apart if you sneezed on it. It reminded me a bit of the frantic pacing found in Hell of a Reporter, where the camera feels like it’s trying to keep up with people who have absolutely no idea where they’re going.

The "professor" character is such a obvious fraud it’s painful, yet everyone just goes with it. The niece, Fenechka, kind of just exists to be the target of the guys' confused affection. It’s not deep, but it’s got this strange, persistent charm.

Odd little things I noticed:

• The car makes a sound that I am 90% sure is just someone hitting a hollow metal trash can with a stick.
• There is a scene involving a bridge that goes on way too long. It feels like the director just forgot to yell "cut" and the actors were too polite to stop.
• The comedic timing is… well, it’s certainly aggressive.

There is a lot of running around in fields for no reason. It feels like the film is desperately trying to fill time before they reach the city, and honestly, I don't blame them. The open road is a great setting, but Odnazhdy letom treats the road like a giant obstacle course designed by someone who has never driven a vehicle before.

Is it better than The Village Blacksmith? That’s a weird comparison, but sure, it’s definitely more chaotic. It doesn’t have the same grit, but it has more heart than it probably deserves. It’s just nice to watch people be terrible at something and be totally okay with it. 🚗💨