AllMovie

Critically acclaimed for its unusually realistic portrayal of troubled Russian youth, this directorial debut of Valeri Ogorodnikov is a somber drama. A 12-year-old boy looks up to his older brother Kostya (Konstantin Kinchev), the leader of a punk-rock band. When Kostya is blackmailed into stealing a synthesizer from a club, the younger brother undertakes the task. Kostya later battles his blackmailing rival known as the Joker in a dreamlike motorcycle chase scene. Kinchev's popularity as the leader of the popular Russian punk rock band Alisa contributed to the film's success -- along with the theme of disenfranchised Russian youth.