Troye s odnoy ulitsy: A quiet look at kids in the revolution

Is it worth your time?

Look, if you’re looking for a big, flashy historical epic, keep walking. Troye s odnoy ulitsy is a small, scrappy movie that feels like it was filmed on a shoestring budget in a backyard. It’s for the folks who like digging up old, dusty cinema—the kind that feels more like a captured memory than a polished product.

If you need clear pacing or a massive budget to stay awake, you will probably hate this. It’s slow, it’s muddy, and it doesn't care if you're keeping up.

The vibe

The whole thing feels oddly claustrophobic. It’s set in 1916, but it doesn't feel like a history book; it feels like a damp street corner. You’ve got these three boys, Spirka, Vanya, and Ioska, who are just trying to navigate their miserable little lives while playing courier for the revolution. It’s a bit like watching Taras Shevchenko if you stripped away the grandeur and left only the dirt.

There’s a specific scene where they’re hiding leaflets, and the camera lingers on the back of a fence for so long that I started wondering if the projectionist fell asleep. It’s not necessarily "artful," it’s just… weirdly long. I kinda liked it, though.

Small observations

• The kids look like they haven’t had a decent meal in months, which really sells the era.
• The Bolshevik worker, Mark, has this intense, bug-eyed stare that’s more than a little unsettling.
• There’s a stray dog in the background of the marketplace scene that gets more screen time than some of the side characters.
• The sound quality drops in and out like a bad radio station.

It’s not as polished as Bride of Frankenstein, obviously, but that’s not what it’s trying to be. It feels more like a frantic diary entry from someone who was actually there. Sometimes the acting feels like the kids are just trying to remember their lines, which adds this layer of awkward sincerity.

I found myself zoning out during the political speeches, but the moments where the boys are just running through the alleyways? That’s where the movie breathes. It reminds me of the chaotic energy in Radio Mad, but with way more sadness and way less comedy.

Ultimately, it’s an uneven mess. But it’s a human mess. It’s not trying to sell you a lesson, it’s just showing you three kids holding onto pieces of paper that were about to change their entire world. If you can handle the grit, it’s worth a look. If you can't, well, there's always something more comfortable on the shelf. 📽️