Beanpole (2019): An Anguished Tale of Two Women

It’s barely halfway through January, and I already think I’ve watched the best movie I’m going to see this year. Beanpole is a drama of subtle horror, expertly woven together by outstanding direction and acting. It’s pacing is languid, it’s writing is spot-on and, above all else, it doesn’t shy away from that which makes one squeamish. If you can find a copy of this film near you, I definitely recommend you get it—it’s a fantastic, must-see film for those of you in the market for a brilliant, mind-fuck of a drama.

Note: Spoilers for Beanpole (2019) follow.

1945, Leningrad. WWII has devastated the city, demolishing its buildings and leaving its citizens in tatters, physically and mentally. Two young women search for meaning and hope in the struggle to rebuild their lives amongst the ruins.

From the iMDB description

Beanpole tells the woeful, gripping tale of two women, Iya and Masha, returning from the war to the war-torn city of Leningrad, and what it means to look for hope where there is none. It is a tragic tale infused with pain, horror, forceful characters, and bleak decisions made by desperate people who just want to be whole again.

Iya is a nurse in a local hospital, taking care of those wounded in the war. When she’s not at the hospital, she’s at home looking after her three-year-old, Pashka. From time to time, Iya freezes up, a condition of PTSD, and is unable to move or say anything for extended periods of time. Things take a tragic turn when she’s playing with Pashka and freezes up on top of him, leading to his untimely demise.

The strength of Beanpole comes from not shying away from these moments. We smile as Pashka runs around on screen and plays with his mother; a smile that quickly fades as she falls on top of him. We struggle with him as he tries in vain to throw her off of him, weakly chanting ‘mama’ as he does so. We watch in terror as his limbs slowly stop flailing and he lies there with Iya on top of him, having witnessed the whole thing.

Things take a turn for the worse when Masha returns and we discover that she’s Pashka’s real mother. Determined to have a child, Masha begins to manipulate those around her to make her deepest desire come true. The acting from Vasilisa Perelygina (Masha) is brilliant; she plays the subtle nuances of someone in her position so well. She knows what it feels to give life to a child, but she’s incapable of mourning the child she has lost, having never spent any time with Pashka. Convinced that a child will bring her joy and make her whole again, and incapable of having her own, she brings together those around her in a sickening fashion to ensure those results.

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The movie itself is beautiful, with the cinematography doing a brilliant job of showing the desperation of these characters, the bleakness of the bombed city of Leningrad, and the hopelessness of its citizens as they reach for anything; scraps of food, medicines, hope; failing that, at least an end to their suffering. It is truly a story of human drama, and does a wonderful job of depicting just that. The scenes involving Pashka’s death, Masha’s return to Leningrad, and Masha manipulating Iya into being raped are masterfully filmed; you can’t look away in those moments—moments that lesser films would’ve simply cut away from are laid bare for you to see. By the end of it, you’re crying for some sort of closure, some form of release from the heavy blackness of the world portrayed here in Beanpole; yet, there is no respite. There are no happy endings.

Beanpole is visceral drama of human desperation, of the desolate desire to cling to something, anything to give oneself a reason to live on. It is written, directed, and acted masterfully, and is a must-watch for someone who wants a serious, bleak, period piece of fine cinema.

Beanpole has won 18 awards and has been nominated for another 24. It was shortlisted for the 92nd Academy Awards but did not receive a nomination.