"SOMEWHERE IN WHAT WAS ONCE THE SOVIET UNION."- Lilya is a sixteen year old Russian girl, and when we first meet her, she displays typical teen grumpiness towards her mother. But, as her mother informs her that she is leaving for America with Lilya's new stepfather, Lilya senses something wrong and becomes that child that just needs her mother. Her mother promises she will send money and letters and will eventually bring Lilya over, but we, the viewer, can tell that those are empty words.

Lilya's supposed caretaker is her aunt, who promptly forces Lilya to move into a cheaper apartment, a squalid room where the previous occupants ratty belongs and odor still remain. But, she makes the best of the situation and, for awhile, enjoys the freedom, inviting over other kids to party and hanging out with her best friend Natasha and a perpetual tag along kid named Volodya. Natasha introduces her to the world of sex for money via a nightclub, but Lilya doesn't succumb to selling herself until Natasha ruins Lilya's reputation (pegging her as a whore), her mothers checks stop, her electricity is cut off, and she has no food.

Things continue to turn for the worse as Lilya learns she has been deemed an "unwanted child" by her mother and made into a welfare case. The only bright spot in her life is Volodya, who follows her like a puppy and similarly has parents that turn a blind eye towards him. A handsome young man named Andrei gives her dreams of moving to Sweden, but that promise too turns sour and quickly dissipates when Lilya arrives friendless in the foreign land and is sold into prostitution.

Swedish director Lukas Moodysson (Show Me Love) balances this heartbreaking tale between stylish slight touches of surreal symbolism and a raw, documentary-like direction. It is quite an interesting blend that works. This is intense material, but like the best of bleak cinema, for instance, Breaking the Waves, the difficult subject matter is engagingly told and never hits a false note. It pulls no punches in presenting Lilya's harsh environs, and presents a wrenching view of what children must feel like when they are faced with abandonment and an environment that gives them little to inspiration for a better life. His follow-up films, A Hole in My Heart and Container have shown him to be increasingly more alienating and experimental. Which is fine, if that is the path he wants to follow; however, it makes me a bit sad that he hasn't capitalized on his skills as a dramatist.

Perhaps most the most impressive element is the young actors. Lilya 4-Ever has some staggeringly good, natural performances, the likes of which belongs in the upper echelon of teen/adolescent acting alongside The 400 Blows, Nobody Knows, and My Life as a Dog.

The DVD: Netflix First.

Picture: Non-Anamorphic Widescreen. Sadly, the film is given a pretty sub-standard transfer, certainly watchable but not high-end system friendly. The film has a naturally rough look so there is some degree of grain and slightly pushed contrast levels. Colors appear to be in decent shape, suitably vivid and warm in the nightclubs and much cooler and overcast in the bleaker sections. Compression artefacts appear minimal, but again, the transfer isn't very top notch system friendly, so the general details will appear weak on nicer entertainment centers.

Sound: 2.0 Stereo. Primarily Russian, with some Swedish and English. English subtitles (white text with black border). A pretty basic track. Very disappointing since the film has some nice DTS and 5.1 mixes on other-region releases.

Extras: Text Biography for director Lukas Moodysoon.

Conclusion: Well, since this is a Netflix exclusive, it is pretty fitting they have delivered a transfer that is only rental-worthy. Those who want to own the film need to look elsewhere, either the expensive UK edition or the more affordable HK transfer. Still, this is a powerful, wonderful film that is, weak transfer or not, well worth adding to your queue.