Tycoon: A New Russian
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Tycoon: A New Russian              *1/2         ( Not Rated )
Reviewed By  Vittorio J. Carli
Director: Pavel  Lounguine

Vladimir Maskov
Andrei Krasko
Maria Mironova

Bottom line:
"Tycoon: A New Russian" is a rambling, monotonous, and incoherent epic about a capitalist who achieves great power after the Communist power structure falls in the former Soviet Union.

Story Line:
This biopic was adapted from a novel about the richest man in Russia. The book and film are partially based on the life of the corrupt Russian oligarch, Boris Berezovsky.  According to a "Moscow Times" article, Berezovsky even helped fund the film to help improve his negative public image.

The film utilizes a combination of documentary footage and dramatizations of key events to tell the story, told in a series of flashbacks that start during the investigation of a judge. The approach to the material is somewhat similar to Orson Welles's approach in "Citizen Kane," but "Tycoon" is nowhere near as well done.

Plato Makovski, a former mathematics professor rises by skillfully exploiting the changing Soviet economy.  Incredibly, he is able to expand a lone business into a vast financial empire that transcends global boundaries.   His investment schemes are often only semi-legal, and he is able to repeatedly throw the bumbling secret service off his trail. A series of betrayals leads to his financial downfall.

Tell me more:
"Tycoon: A New Russian" was a tremendous financial success. It is the highest grossing homegrown film ever in Russia. The film is unlikely to do anywhere near as well in the U.S.A.

The director, Pavel Lounguine, also made "Luna Park" and "Taxi Blues." Both of those films are far superior to "Tycoon" and they are available on video.

"Tycoon" does not have an appealing visual style, and there are no memorable shots in the entire film. A potentially interesting subject and competent cast are completely squandered in an artless, static, yawn inducing feature film.  The film tries to condense too much narrative into 128 minutes. The story would probably work better as a longer documentary or mini-series.

Recently, both writer of the novel that the film adapts and Berezovsky were arrested in London for fraud related charges.

Not Rated
Vittorio J. Carli © 2003