From Omeleto.
A teenager saves a pit bull.
BROOKLYN is used with permission from Timur Guseynov. Learn more at https://imdb.com/title/tt30624677.
Anton is a teenager from Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, caring for his younger brother Nicky. With no reliable parents in their lives, Anton scrapes by through petty crime, but he takes his responsibility as Nicky’s provider and guardian seriously. But their routine takes an unexpected turn one night when they rescue a battered pit bull pup and name her Brooklyn.
Brooklyn is a sweet dog and becomes an affectionate, beloved member of this makeshift family. But those bonds are tested when the dog’s violent past resurfaces, and dangerous owners come hunting for her. Anton must decide how far he’ll go to protect their newest member.
Directed by Timur Guseynov from a script co-written with Kateryna Kurganska, this short drama is both a warmly affectionate portrait of an unconventional family transformed by the love of a pet and a suspenseful collision with a dark, seedy criminal side of life. Set in the unvarnished, authentically worn-in environs of Brighton Beach, the film’s world is both gritty and tenderhearted, portrayed in a visual approach that eschews stately polish for an unpolished yet dynamic naturalism that makes palpable Brighton Beach’s rough-and-tumble atmosphere.
The detailed, complex writing uses its first half to build Anton’s character, his relationship with Nicky and their hard-scrabble life together. We meet him first as a shadowy figure couriering contraband, but then we meet him properly, observing his tenderness and seriousness of purpose as a guardian. With an addict absentee mom and a perilous job, it’s a hard, sometimes bleak life, until they encounter a wounded dog that they rescue and then enfold into their family, naming the sweet-natured pup Brooklyn.
That encounter transforms the family, adding some charm and love even as life gets harder. We experience the change with great warmth and genuine sweetness, but it also raises the stakes when Brooklyn’s former captors come looking for her. They run an underground dog-fighting ring, and they want Brooklyn back as a bait dog. The narrative takes a turn toward the thriller genre, ramping up the pace and tension while putting Anton in a dilemma. As Anton, actor Feodor Dolan conveys the weight upon Anton’s shoulders as he navigates his life, but also how the breaking point with his life converges with his need to keep the family together, making for some difficult choices and drastic action.
Immersive, richly drawn and well-told, BROOKLYN uses its time well to develop characters and their world, grounding us in emotional immediacy and an unpredictable, sometimes volatile world. We know exactly what Brooklyn means to these two brothers, touching upon the almost indescribable joy that a beloved pet can bring to a home. We also know how dangerous Anton’s world can be, and just how hard it will be to bring Brooklyn home. Belonging, family, home and love are all worthy causes, but the sacrifice that Anton may have to make for them — and how he navigates this moral and emotional dilemma — will keep viewers engaged to the end.
