Schizo (2004)

Schizo (2004)
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A teenage boy is thrown into a world of love, death, and deception in this powerful drama. Mustafa (Olzhas Nusuppaev) is a 15-year old boy living in Kazakhstan in the early 1990s. Nicknamed "Schizo" by his schoolmates because of several incidents of emotional instability, Mustafa left school and works for Sakura (Eduard Tabischev), his mother's boyfriend, who helps to organize bare-knuckle boxing tournaments for a cadre of bookmakers. Mustafa's job is to find likely fighters for Sakura, and one of the first prospects he brings in is Ali (Gairatzhan Tokhgibakier), who is only a few years older than Mustafa himself. Ali is matched against a large and experienced heavyweight and does not survive the fight; as he lies dying, Ali gives Mustafa all his money and asks him to deliver it to Zinka (Olga Landina), Ali's girlfriend and the mother of his five-year-old daughter. But Mustafa doesn't have the heart to tell Zinka that Ali has died and delivers the money with a story that her boyfriend has gone missing. Mustafa is quite taken with Zinka and begins spending most of his spare time with her; Zinka eventually catches on to the fact Ali is not coming back and persuades Mustafa to set up her uncle Zhaken (Bazkitbek Baimuzhanbetov) in one of Sakura's fights. An experienced boxer, Zhaken wins the fight and splits the purse with Zinka, who decides to accept Mustafa as her new beau. Schizo is the first feature film from screenwriter and actress Guka Omarova. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Olzhas NusuppaevOlga Landina, (more)
Director(s):
Guka Omarova
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of Schizo

A teenage boy is thrown into a world of love, death, and deception in this powerful drama. Mustafa (Olzhas Nusuppaev) is a 15-year old boy living in Kazakhstan in the early 1990s. Nicknamed "Schizo" by his schoolmates because of several incidents of emotional instability, Mustafa left school and works for Sakura (Eduard Tabischev), his mother's boyfriend, who helps to organize bare-knuckle boxing tournaments for a cadre of bookmakers. Mustafa's job is to find likely fighters for Sakura, and one of the first prospects he brings in is Ali (Gairatzhan Tokhgibakier), who is only a few years older than Mustafa himself. Ali is matched against a large and experienced heavyweight and does not survive the fight; as he lies dying, Ali gives Mustafa all his money and asks him to deliver it to Zinka (Olga Landina), Ali's girlfriend and the mother of his five-year-old daughter. But Mustafa doesn't have the heart to tell Zinka that Ali has died and delivers the money with a story that her boyfriend has gone missing. Mustafa is quite taken with Zinka and begins spending most of his spare time with her; Zinka eventually catches on to the fact Ali is not coming back and persuades Mustafa to set up her uncle Zhaken (Bazkitbek Baimuzhanbetov) in one of Sakura's fights. An experienced boxer, Zhaken wins the fight and splits the purse with Zinka, who decides to accept Mustafa as her new beau. Schizo is the first feature film from screenwriter and actress Guka Omarova. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
86 mins

Complete Cast of Schizo


Director(s):
Guka Omarova
Writer(s):
Sergei BodrovGuka Omarova
Producer(s):
Sergei SelyanovSergei AzimovSergei Bodrov
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    Robert R.

    This was an engaging novelette set in the middle of nowhere. I loved this film. When it ended, I had kind of the same feeling as when I had spent a week camping in the desert. The movie is like this little microcosm of Kazakh life, a little dramatic dot on the planet that no one knows about except the people in it. And, you just went there and came back. Some movies are true works of art.

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    Robert E.

    Since my passion iare films from unfamiliar cultures, I found this Kazakhstan film to be a delight in many ways. It is to be enjoyed even more if you listen (first) to the director's comments.The story line was interesting though occasionally discombobulated. Most all the characters were believable and the younger boy characters were both captivating and gave agreeable performances.

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    James V.

    Directed with quiet restraint and co-written by Gulshat Omarova and featuring a star-making performance from Oldzhas Nusupbayev, SCHIZO isn't simply the first film you or I have seen from Kazakhstan. It's more: an interesting movie that's intelligent, surprisingly visual, and a bit shocking. The casual and constant "using" of one person by another, the sense of life lived more like fifty years ago than anything western society knows today, the difficulties of certain things (trust, anyone?) and the ease of others (robbing a "bank") are--if remotely true--eye-opening, to say the least. The scenery is stark & lovely (the lack of industry means no pollution and hence the filmed colors are bright & true), & the lead character is imagined quite well. While it's understandable that other people in this society might think him slow, he's a wonder and a prize, & so is the actor who plays him (discovered in an orphanage, no less, according to the DVD's Special Feature, "Schizo in New York").

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