A remarkable glimpse of the Russia we never see and hear. It also deals with taboo themes like Russian anti-Semitism, artistic self-censorship, class envy and alcoholic self-destruction. Lounguine’s debut film is a fascinating little story about the fluctuating personal relationship between a Russian cabdriver [and] an alcoholic, Jewish, saxophone player (…) The relationship parallels the situation imposed on Russian artists by the state government (…) A visually stylish first film that layers a modest story. — Marjorie Baumgarten, 1991.