FILM REVIEW

Jennifer K Mahal

A lot of people get “serviced” in the Greek film “From the Edge of the

City.” I don’t believe the viewer is one of them.

Directed and written by Constantinos Giannaris, the film follows the

story of a teenage Greek Russian prostitute, Sasha, and his friends, all

of whom are outsiders when it comes to the land they live in.

Sasha hates his construction job, preferring to instead smoke

marijuana and hang out with his friends. You get snippets of an

overbearing, somewhat abusive father and a timid mother, but basically

the portrayal of Sasha’s family background is minimal. Which is

problematic, because it doesn’t really help explain why Sasha is so

nihilistic.

The story, what there is of one, revolves around Sasha’s agreement

with his friend Giorgio to watch over Giorgio’s prostitute, Natasha,

while he goes on a trip to sell her off.

Although it is billed as a coming of age story, it plays more as a

portrait, as the story line never fully develops. However there is plenty

of sex, some violence and, of course, drug use.

There are a few good moments in the film, which is in Greek and

Russian with English subtitles. But not enough. If it were a documentary

-- which was Giannaris’ original intent when he started the film -- I

might have found it compelling.

* “From the Edge of the City” will screen at 9 p.m. Monday at Edwards

Island 7 Cinemas.