"In a time of universal deceit, speaking the truth is a revolutionary act"

Rating: 7/10 (13 September 2015)

Directed by Daniel Espinosa (SAFE HOUSE), and starring Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace (among others), CHILD 44 tells the story of one man's effort to bring a serial child murderer to justice in a society where the mere existence of murder is denied. The society in question was Soviet Russia, ca. 1953, and the existence of such evil things was basically unthinkable/untenable in what was ostensibly a "worker's paradise." In a general sense, based on the lackluster reception from both audiences and critics, I wasn't expecting too much from this. I didn't too much care for Daniel Espinosa's previous film, SAFE HOUSE, but he does have a gritty style that I appreciate. What interested me more was the incredible cast he assembled for what I thought was going to be a rather simple, if protracted (at 137 minutes), crime procedural. What I got actually spent more time on the human drama, which I didn't mind at all, although more time could have been spent on moving the plot forward in what was a film with a rather languid pace. I also took some issue initially with a non-Russian cast putting on their best Russian accents. Some do better than others (Noomi Rapace, in particular), but for the most part I got used it and it never really bothered me after about 20-30 minutes. What the film does really well is examine Soviet Russian society in the 1950's, with all of the paranoia, backstabbing and low standard of living for the common person. In that respect, the milieu the film portrays and the way in which it is portrayed create an atmosphere that all but chokes out any sense of justice or hope. That's what makes the central characters' journey so compelling, aside from being well-written. You feel for them because the odds are not in their favor, and yet they continue to pursue a goal that puts their lives at risk. Also, in a more general sense the film explores the degree to which people will lie to themselves and others in order to avoid an inconvenient truth. When looked at from this perspective, the quote which opens the film ("There is no murder in paradise") becomes, not a statement of fact, but a mantra repeated to stave off the knowledge that the world we live in is anything but a paradise. Although the film does take its time getting into gear, the journey it takes you on is well worth the wait and, despite the downbeat tone, it does have a fitting ending. Also, to the film's credit there were a few moments of violence that made me flinch. With the way movie audiences have become desensitized to violence, it was refreshing to have a film where it serves a purpose and has real impact. Overall, this isn't really a film that I'd soon watch again (due to the depressing subject matter), but is something that should be seen by more than have already. Don't believe the negative buzz and just give it a try.