Larry Martin11 said:@naspavani
...thanks 🙂 a little too long, though 😁, and I love getting bogged down in the trivialities, but that’s just the kind of movie it is—it has so many subplots, so don't blame me...🙂
@Chris Morgan67
...I idealize him because a) he reminds me intensely of Tony, who in my opinion is one of the best-constructed film characters ever—so beautifully nuanced that it’s almost painful to watch; b) I’ve always been more drawn to that blatant, in-your-face "fragmentation" rather than the "quiet" kind (which is what Nicholas embodies here), mostly because I feel the former is more of a "thesis," whereas the latter feels more easily skipped over...but Kirill has his own deep, negative dimension: he’s a threat to the entire system (he isn't even aware of how much he actually dismantles the very structure that created him—he is Semyonov's biggest headache, the one truly undermining the system), through his sheer recklessness and his "non-existence" (because as an individual, he really doesn't exist—there is only the need to please the "higher-ups"—his father—and the need to satisfy himself, which is incredibly selfish and purely self-contained; the clash of those two results in a tragic self-destruction...still, he’s arguably "better" than Tony, since Tony teeters on the edge of stupidity, though not by much...) He jeopardizes everything even when his intentions are good, and he doesn't give a damn about the consequences of his actions on the people around him—not just those within the Mafia world (where there isn't much room for emotion; rationality should rule, but he lacks it, even though the Mafia is a world and a "business" for those involved: take the women, for instance, who are merely objects to him, showing no difference between him and his father, nor in the way he approaches Anna) at all; viewed under a glass bell, he isn't evil—just lost and torn apart—but viewed as part of the world, he isn't good either, because he’s irresponsible toward absolutely everyone and everything (for comparison, Semyon is actually more responsible, even if he ends up being much "worse")...He is a victim of exploitation, yet he is an exploiter himself...What is wonderful, however, is how Cassel plays him; he isn't afraid to portray him as weak without making him "low"—in a different interpretation, Kirill would be the embodiment of a selfish fool; in this one, the end of the film is completely convincing because it flows naturally from who he is throughout the full 120 minutes (as mentioned earlier, it's interesting how children act as a "catalyst" for both Tony and Kirill 🙂)...
...I don't know, though, I wouldn't say Semyon and Nicholas "enjoy" the world they belong to: I think Semyon somehow has no choice, he is a part of that world and the world really is a part of him (as opposed to Kirill, who is a part of something by birth that he doesn't actually belong to and can't navigate—despite all the stars, he simply doesn't understand the system); Nicholas has "ascended" within that world, fighting it, opposing it while simultaneously treating it as a challenge 🙂 at least, I think, because his story is actually the most contained, the least clear, and his mystery is part of the Cronenberg game...or maybe I just spent too much time on the trivial stuff and missed some elements? 🙂
True, Nicholas is arguably the most enigmatic character. I get the impression that by calling the police for that girl and putting his uncle up in a hotel, he was ensuring he truly belonged in that sphere.
Even if he wasn't born into that life, the stars seem vital to him; he has no intention of leaving that circle. Even after such a brutal injury, retreating isn't even a thought...
He wants to
use them to maintain control over the gang and navigate this half-world by exploiting Kirill.
It almost strikes me that the moment by the river with the child was Nicholas's chance to deepen his hold over Kirill. The way he touched him felt almost... tender, as if he were flirting with both Kirill's sensitive side and his queer identity. Kirill is queer, after all, and Nicholas knows exactly which buttons to press.
It seems to me that after being wounded, he was just waiting for the opportunity to play his hand—using the stars, using the child, and turning Tatiana's blood against Semyon to manipulate Kirill.
What are your thoughts?