Itisagreatfilmbyagreatdirector.KiraMuratovahasneverbeengivenherdueintheSovietandpost-SovietRussia.IntheLongGoodByeshedepictsaseeminglybanalstoryofajealousandpossessivemother(brilliantlyactedbyZinaidaSharko)andherpooraloofandlonelyson(theonlycinematicrolebythetalentedO.Vladimirsky).Thestory-whichisnothingextraordinaryinitself-growsintothewonderfulandfrighteninganalysisofalienationbetweengendersandgenerationsonthebackgroundoftheevenmorefrighteninglybleakanddehumanizedSovietreality.KiraMuratovashowsthetinydetailsofeverydaySovietlife,and,again,banalastheyare,theyareahair-raisinghorror.Thedialogueisdeliberatelylaconicandvoidofanysense,showingtheever-growingpeople'sinabilitytocommunicateandunderstandeachother.Thesoundtrack(byanotherunder-estimatedtalent,OlegKaravaichuk)addstotheatmosphereofhopelessandmeaninglessexistence.Ofcourse,Sasha(thenameoftheprotagonist),willleavehisdespotic(butlovineee!)mothersoonerorlater,butwherefor(c)

BriefMeetingsisaboutalovetrianglebetweenthreeverydifferentpeople.Nadia,acountrygirl,fallsinlovewithMaskim,aroamingguitarplayinggeologist,andinhersearchforhimsheendsupworkingforValentina,hislong-distance,bureaucratwife.NadiabeginstoworkasamaidforValentina,butastheyspendtimetogethertheyhaveflashbackstotheirbriefmeetin..bbb