Is How Dark the Nights Are on the Black Sea Worth Watching? Honest Movie Review & Audience Verdict (1989)

📖 The Core Premise

How Dark the Nights Are on the Black Sea stands as a 1989 entry that attempts to leave its mark on the Comedy, Romance landscape. At its heart, the film explores complex themes wrapped in a compelling storyline. As the plot unfolds, we see characters navigating a world where stakes are high. "In this farcical dark comedy/melodrama, Lena manages to lose her place at college by virtue of throwing a minor hissy-fit when she catches her erstwhile boyfriend in bed with another girl. Instead of penalizing the boy for his behavior, Lena gets stuck with a court appearance and must pay a small fine, in addition to losing a boyfriend, her college career, and an apartment. Lena belongs to a film club which occasionally hands out awards, and the membership of it decides to send her into the Russian hinterlands to hand out an award to an obscure filmmaker. Throughout the film, Lena has been associated with a bizarre con man named Stepanych who, when his cons fall through, comes to her in the distant town she has gone to seeking her help in committing suicide."

🎬 Performance & Direction

A movie's success often hinges on its execution. In How Dark the Nights Are on the Black Sea, even the presence of Aleksei Zharkov struggles to save a script that feels disjointed. The direction aims to balance pacing with character development, a hallmark of good Comedy. While there are moments of brilliance, the pacing occasionally dips.

🤔 Why You Should Watch (or Skip)

Is How Dark the Nights Are on the Black Sea worth your time? If you appreciate Comedy, Romance films that take risks, this is likely a decent one-time watch. However, if you are looking for a flawless masterpiece, you might find some plot points predictable.

🏆 Final Verdict

Ultimately, How Dark the Nights Are on the Black Sea misses the mark on several fronts. With a runtime of 115 minutes, it asks for a significant time investment, but for the right audience, it pays off.

Our recommendation: Skip It.