AllMovie

This film version of the Fyodor Dostoyevsky classic follows the original text closer than any version to date. Two brothers from an upper-class family express their desires in different ways. Dmitry relies on intuition and emotions, while his brother Ivan embraces intellect and reason. Their father is a whining, egotistical hedonist who bemoans the passing into a new era but does nothing to adapt to the changing times. All three men are unable to compromise, hiding behind either the church or the state to interpret how to solve their problems.