08-19-2009, 10:58 PM
Vodka Lemon directed by Hiner Saleem (Russian/Armenian -- 2004)
I found a laugh track on the web that's in the public domain. I copied it to an old cassette player, then set it up next to where I watch movies.
Now I'm prepared. If a movie turns too dark, I just lean over and hit play: [LAUGHTER].
Not that I'll need it for this movie. I mean, how can you miss when it's about a lemonade stand? This one's for grownups. You know, run by grownups, selling drinks for grownups -- in this case lemon-flavored vodka. Vodka Lemon is the name of the stand, which is located next to a remote highway in Armenia.
In the aftermath of the Soviet collapse, the Armenian economy is devastated [LAUGHTER]. A widower named Hamo visits his wife's grave every day [LAUGHTER]. There he keeps seeing Nina, a widow who visits her husband's grave every day [LAUGHTER]. Hamo is jobless and penniless and must keep selling his few possessions just to survive [LAUGHTER]. Nina works at Vodka Lemon but channels all her money into piano lessons for her daughter, who secretly works as a prostitute to bring in a bit of money. Of course, most of her clients dump her without paying [LAUGHTER]. Vodka Lemon isn't making enough money and has to close, leaving Nina jobless [LAUGHTER]. Meanwhile, Hamo desperately awaits money from his son living in Paris. Eventually he gets a letter from his son, who asks him for money [LAUGHTER]. Nina, now jobless, and though it's the last glimmer of hope for her daughter, must sell the piano [LAUGHTER]. Hamo befriends Nina and at least pays for the daily bus rides to the cemetery. But the few possessions they have are rapidly running out, and soon they'll have no way to survive [LAUGHTER]. Oh, I forgot to mention the pregnant teenager who gets married, only to be dumped by the groom when he doesn't get the job he felt he was promised [LAUGHTER].
Shortly after release, the production company for this movie had to file for bankruptcy [LAUGHTER].
I found a laugh track on the web that's in the public domain. I copied it to an old cassette player, then set it up next to where I watch movies.
Now I'm prepared. If a movie turns too dark, I just lean over and hit play: [LAUGHTER].
Not that I'll need it for this movie. I mean, how can you miss when it's about a lemonade stand? This one's for grownups. You know, run by grownups, selling drinks for grownups -- in this case lemon-flavored vodka. Vodka Lemon is the name of the stand, which is located next to a remote highway in Armenia.
In the aftermath of the Soviet collapse, the Armenian economy is devastated [LAUGHTER]. A widower named Hamo visits his wife's grave every day [LAUGHTER]. There he keeps seeing Nina, a widow who visits her husband's grave every day [LAUGHTER]. Hamo is jobless and penniless and must keep selling his few possessions just to survive [LAUGHTER]. Nina works at Vodka Lemon but channels all her money into piano lessons for her daughter, who secretly works as a prostitute to bring in a bit of money. Of course, most of her clients dump her without paying [LAUGHTER]. Vodka Lemon isn't making enough money and has to close, leaving Nina jobless [LAUGHTER]. Meanwhile, Hamo desperately awaits money from his son living in Paris. Eventually he gets a letter from his son, who asks him for money [LAUGHTER]. Nina, now jobless, and though it's the last glimmer of hope for her daughter, must sell the piano [LAUGHTER]. Hamo befriends Nina and at least pays for the daily bus rides to the cemetery. But the few possessions they have are rapidly running out, and soon they'll have no way to survive [LAUGHTER]. Oh, I forgot to mention the pregnant teenager who gets married, only to be dumped by the groom when he doesn't get the job he felt he was promised [LAUGHTER].
Shortly after release, the production company for this movie had to file for bankruptcy [LAUGHTER].