There is nothing as immersive to me as a foreign fantasy film. Just the fact that you’re listening to a dub or reading subtitles means you have to pay attention in a different way. You have to immerse yourself in the world of the film. And when it’s fantasy, you have the added bonus of learning new lore, cultural touchstones, and folktales. It’s the reason we love Studio Ghibli films. There is a truly otherworldly quality to watching a foreign fantasy feature.

A ROUGH DRAFT follows the unexpected journey of Kirill (Nikita Volkov), a young game designer at the top of his game. He’s a genius, and everyone knows it. Of course, he has a dope of a best friend, and his girlfriend has moved on to bigger and better things in her own life, but really, he’s soaring. Don’t mind the awkward unwanted attention from the office floozies, or his weird relationship with his parents. Things are GREAT. Things get even greater (have you noted the heavy sarcasm yet?) when he arrives home after an office party celebrating his success to find a total stranger living in his apartment. Authorities and the landlord are both called in, and while his landlord wants to defend him, slowly the pieces of Kirill’s story stop making sense. His passport is invalid, he has no registered address, and the woman living in his apartment has even convinced Kirill’s dog to play along and act like he’s never seen him before. With nowhere to go, Kirill falls back on his best friend Kotya (Yevgeny Tkachuk) and they begin their search for Kirill’s truth. Slowly but surely, each person they come in contact with, even people Kirill has known for ages, don’t know who he is. The government can’t find his documentation, even his parents don’t know him anymore.

Kirill decides the only way to find the answer is to go back to his old apartment and get answers from the mysterious Renata (Severija Janusauskaite). This is the true first step in Kirill’s journey. It turns out, he has been swept up into an elite and special group facilitating the travel between worlds. He is invincible, immortal, and has the knowledge of the world at his fingertips. Along the way he discovers that no one in his life is exactly what they seem, and that the shiniest of new chances comes with its own set of difficulties.

Remarkable and innovative visual and practical effects drive the storyline of A ROUGH DRAFT. The consequences of time and world travel within the rules of this film are visceral and apparent, as Kirill is faced with boundaries and limits that impact his body and his mind. The driving healing force in this story is water, and seeing the intense visual effects in play you as the viewer can understand exactly why. It’s rare to see so many CGI effects pulled off so effectively in a non-big budget/big studio production, and it pays off, especially when, as American audiences, we rely on the visuals to tell the story.

The emotional stakes of A ROUGH DRAFT are incredibly high, and even as we grapple with the rules of this new world we’ve been dropped into, we are able to relate to Kirill and his struggle. It isn’t always abundantly clear exactly what the story is implying, I am sure largely due to facts being “lost in translation” but even so Kirill remains sympathetic and ties us to the inaccessible parts of the storyline capably and confidently. Volkov gives a solid performance, dripping with pathos, and without his guidance, it would be easy for us as the audience to be lost. The ensemble of this piece also deliver powerful, character-driven performances, and each actor seems entirely sure of exactly who they are and their place in this story, even if it takes us a moment to catch on. Strange editing makes some scenes feel like you’re dropping in in the middle of something or perhaps you missed part of the dialogue, but after viewing the full film I can only imagine that’s intentional. We as the audience are kept as much on edge as Kirill, and have to learn at the same rapid and rough pace he does. 

A ROUGH DRAFT harkens back to another classic Russian fantasy/horror film series — and a long-time favorite of mine — Bekmambetov’s NIGHT WATCH and DAY WATCH. Shades of Predestination, Dark City, and more create a dark, gritty “other side” to what we know about the world around us. The fine balance between fantasy, psychological thrill, action, and humor is perfectly kept. Visuals stun and inspire. Sound and score come together with the moving image to sweep you up in new worlds. A ROUGH DRAFT may not be a perfect film but it certainly gives a valiant effort, and I could see it becoming a cult classic if not more. I for one will be looking for an opportunity to watch again soon!

7/10 stars

“Remarkable and innovative visual and practical effects drive the storyline of A ROUGH DRAFT.”

“A ROUGH DRAFT harkens back to another classic Russian fantasy/horror film series — and a long time favorite of mine — Bekmambetov’s NIGHT WATCH and DAY WATCH. Shades of Predestination, Dark City, and more create a dark, gritty “other side” to what we know about the world around us.”

“The emotional stakes of A ROUGH DRAFT are incredibly high, and even as we grapple with the rules of this new world we’ve been dropped into, we are able to relate to Kirill and his struggle.”

“A ROUGH DRAFT may not be a perfect film but it certainly gives a valiant effort, and I could see it becoming a cult classic if not more.”