Lilya 4-ever Movie Review (2002)
There are some movies that you have to watch because they are so good that they wreck you. But heartbreak and its lasting effects can be important – and that’s what Lilya 4-ever is.
There have been many movies that I’ve thought about long after they were over, but there have been only a dozen or so that have haunted me. Not because they’re scary or I thought something would jump out of my closet, but because they affected me so deeply during my viewing that there is a little part of them that lives inside of me. That is the case with Lilya 4-ever.
Lilya 4-ever is a movie about a teen girl named Lilya who was raised in poverty in Russia. When she is suddenly abandoned by her mother, she turns to prostitution to make ends meet. With her only support system being her friend Volodya, a younger boy who has also been abandoned, she does what she can to keep a roof over her head, keep any semblance of self-confidence, and keep looking forward to her dream of moving to The United States.
It has taken me a little time to be able to write this review because this movie gutted me. It is distressing and painful, but so incredibly well done that you feel as if you are watching invasive home moves of someone’s real life. I’ve had to remind myself over and over that this was a film because this story is real – it happens to real people more often than we hear about and my heart breaks for them.
In my opinion, this is the makeup of some of the best films – when you can’t find the separation between fact and fiction on screen. When characters and images affect you so greatly that you completely connect to them emotionally.
Lilya 4-ever is timeless. Lilya herself is, in many ways, the same girl that so many of us were or knew in high-school. Looking for acceptance, trying to act cool, and balancing her reality with other people’s perceptions. And her young friend is just looking to find a place where he belongs.
I cannot recommend this movie enough, but please know that it is not for the faint of heart. It is a difficult watch and you will think (multiple times) about what you (or any other responsible adult) could have done to help improve the circumstances of these kids. You may also find yourself yelling out at the screen, but it’s worth it. This movie is amazing.
Runtime: 109 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: Russian, Polish, Swedish, and English with English subtitles
Should You Watch It? Yes, definitely
Did I Cry? Yes, a few times
My Rating: 4.75/5 Stars
Available: To rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
