The Banishment (Izgnanie)

'Always leave them wanting more' isn't something director Andrei Zvyagintsev (The Return) lives by considering this two-and-a-half-hour-plus drama - the audience will certainly have had enough of this story once the credits roll and for a long time to come too. The deathly slow plot sees the morose Alex (Lavronenko) move his family from the bleak, unnamed city to the picturesque countryside for a week's break. It's here that his wife Vera (Bonnevie) informs him that she is carrying a child that is not his, putting the final nail in the coffin of an already dead relationship. Confused as to how to deal with the situation, Alex calls on his bad boy brother Mark (Baluyev) for advice and what unfolds is a series of actions that follow bad decisions.

The synopsis is being kind to the plot and might make it sound like The Banishment has enough story to keep it ticking over - but watching it has, I suspect, the same feel as swimming through treacle. This story in no shape or form justifies the lumbering 157 minutes running time; it could be easily told in under 90 minutes and the director would still have time to throw in those lingering Days Of Heaven-style countryside shots he loves so much. There's a lot of standing around, sitting down and getting back up again and the pace scuppers any chance of emotionally engaging the audience. The Banishment is lovely to look at from time to time and there's a feeling that Zvyaginsev will one day produce a piece of genius, but hopefully for him he won't be so self-indulgent in the future.