Overview
In the aftermath of war, two women navigate the ruins of their lives in search of hope and healing.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- bleak
- harrowing
- austere
- serious film night
- arthouse cinema evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film’s impressive visual craftsmanship, unforgettable performances, and heartbreakingly empathetic portrayal of lives shattered by war.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Iya’s involuntary episodes and the presence of a quadriplegic soldier make postwar injury central to the film’s visual and emotional language.
Iya and Masha attempt to rebuild family, intimacy, and purpose in the wreckage of 1945 Leningrad.
The women’s search for hope is closely tied to motherhood, absence, and the consequences of war-created family wounds.
The ruined city, saturated interiors, and sculptural compositions turn the postwar setting into an expressive psychological landscape.
Films like Beanpole, and why
The Cranes Are Flying
shared postwar trauma, austere historical drama, and intimate focus on lives rebuilding after mass violence
The Ascent
shared bleak humanism, war aftermath, psychologically wounded characters, and emotionally intense period realism
Come and See
shared Russian historical drama, devastated social landscapes, and contemplative treatment of trauma and survival
The Nightingale
shared intimate female-centered drama, restrained pacing, and themes of motherhood, grief, and damaged identity
Movie Details
- Director
- Kantemir Balagov
- Release Date
- 2019-06-20
- Runtime
- 134 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (365)
Cast
- Viktoriya Miroshnichenko
- Vasilisa Perelygina
- Konstantin Balakirev
- Kseniya Kutepova
- Olga Dragunova
- Andrey Bykov
- Igor Shirokov
- Timofey Glazkov
- Alyona Kuchkova
- Veniamin Kac
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- OVID, Kino Film Collection
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Beanpole about?
- In the ruins of postwar Leningrad, two young women struggle to reclaim intimacy, motherhood, and a reason to live after the siege has ended.
- What is Beanpole like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Beanpole as measured, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Beanpole violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Beanpole as moderate.
- What did critics think of Beanpole?
- Critics broadly praised the film’s impressive visual craftsmanship, unforgettable performances, and heartbreakingly empathetic portrayal of lives shattered by war.
- Which films are like Beanpole?
- Films with a similar feel include The Cranes Are Flying, The Ascent, Come and See, and The Nightingale.
- How long is Beanpole?
- Beanpole runs 134 minutes.
- Where can I watch Beanpole?
- In United States, Beanpole streams on OVID, Kino Film Collection.
