Love and Lies

At first glance, this seems like a simple retelling of Romeo and Juliet with teenage lovers frustrated by the machinations of their families.

Tatyana Aksyuta is well-cast as the waif-like Katya who seems in danger of being consumed by her passion for the son of her mother's old boyfriend. Likewise, Nikita Mikhajlovsky, gives probably the best performance of his short, tragic career as Roman, whose pure, boundless love for Katya triumphs over the scheming of his mother and grandmother.

But there is more to the story which seems intent on examining all the different ways that love can grow, change, thrive or die.

Tanechka, the sympathetic teacher longs for the pure, romantic love of literature and is unsatisfied with the attentions of her rather crass lover. Searching for perfection, she seems certain to live her life alone and unfulfilled.

Katya's mother seems finally to have found contentment with her second husband after a failed teenage romance with Roman's father and a failed first marriage to Katya's father.

Roman's father's lingering love for Katya's mother makes him seem like a fool, but, because he is in love, he doesn't care.

Roman's mother's love for his father and for Roman finds expression only in jealousy, bitterness and manipulation.

This is a pretty story, well-portrayed by appealing actors. And unlike Shakespeare, it has a happy ending.