Luna Papa Reviews

A contemporary fable drawing inspiration from the folktales of Bakhtiar Khudojnazarov's native Tajikistan, Luna Papa is a madcap farce brimming with exuberance and absurdity. Set on the shore of the Caspian Sea, this lavish production (it was made with funding from five different countries) makes the most of its picturesque setting and a talented cast of comic actors, the most well-known of which is Moritz Bleibtreu of Run Lola Run fame. But it's Chulpan Khamatova, as the film's heroine, who gives the film the bulk of its considerable charm. A relative unknown, she plays her character with a charismatic stubbornness that propels the plot through its myriad perversities. The film's one flaw is its length. It's as if Khudojnazarov wanted to cram as many gags into the film as possible, and after a while they start to wear thin. But this is a minor quibble to level at a film that aims to please and does the job so well.