Twoyoungmenfromoppositesidesofthesocioeconomicspectrumembarkonadangerouscourseofself-destructivebehaviorinthisstrikingandbraveRussiandrama.Ericisaclassicalsingerandpianistpracticingforanimportantaudition.Onthebusoneday,heencountersthevolatileLyokha,whoissubsequentlyarrestedbyapairofpoliceofficersandtakenintocustody.Formuchofthefilm,theirstoriesplayoutinparallel,withEricspendinghistimerehearsingsublimeSchubertlieder,passingtimewithhiswealthybutdissolutementor,Slava,andimbibinglitersofvodkafromacornerstore,whileLyokhaiscausingtroublewithalmosteveryoneheencounters.ThetwomeetupagainoneeveningamongagroupofEric’sfriends,oneofwhomishispresumedboyfriend,andLyokhaproceedstoantagonizealmosteveryoneassembledwithboorishbehaviorandhomophobicdiatribes.DespiteLyokha’scretinousconduct,thesingerisdrawntotheanimalisticboyandgiveshimaplacetostay.Wheretherelationship,andthefilm,proceedsfromhereisunexpected,moving,sometimessurreal,andalwayssurprising.Comingfromacultureinwhichbeinggayhasrecentlybecomeperilouslydifficult,WinterJourneyfeelslikeanurgentandbrilliantlyactedmissive,portrayinganexistencewhereviolence,alcohol,anddrugsprovidenecessaryescapeandloveseemsnexttoimpossible.
