Movies - Brigada

	Movies - Brigada

Brigada (in Russian: Бригада), also known as Law of the Lawless, was a Russian crime miniseries which debuted in 2002. It became very popular and received great reviews. The miniseries follows the story of four best friends from 1989 to 2000, mainly concentrating on the leader of the group, Sasha Belov, played by Sergei Bezrukov. The fifteen part miniseries was written by Igor Porublyov and Aleksei Sidorov and was directed by Aleksei Sidorov.

Plot

Sasha Belov has just returned from the army back to his hometown. He is greeted by his three lifelong friends, Kosmos, Pchela, and Fil. Sasha is also anxious to reunite with his old girlfriend however his friends warn him that she is not the same girl she used to be. As it turns out she has become a prostitute and this very much angers Sasha who decides to take on her pimp. After a fair fist fight, Sasha nearly kills the pimp. His girlfriend is amazed by this and wants him back, but Sasha decides he doesn't need a girl like her and turns his back on her.

The fight with the pimp creates some major complications with the local mafia and police and pretty soon Sasha finds himself on the run after being framed for a murder. The pimps cousin, a corrupt cop named simply "The Detective", hounds Sasha for vengeance. As Sasha is hiding out he meets and falls in love with a young girl named Olya who plays the violin. Eventually the two of them fall in love but not before a SWAT team assaults Sasha's hideout and nearly kills him and his friends. From that moment on he makes a pact with his buddies to always watch their backs.

A few years pass and Sasha and his friends have created a name for themselves in the Criminal underworld. By manipulating and extorting a slimy businessman, they manage to gain substantial funding for their criminal deeds. Sasha marries Olya and on their wedding night an assassination is attempted on their lives. Meanwhile Communism falls in Russia and The Detective loses his state job. He falls into a drunken depression and eventually teams up with Sasha's gang and aids them in their endeavours.

Several more years pass and Sasha has become very wealthy however numerous problems still plague him. A deal gone sour threatens his relationship with an old army pal who has also become a powerful gangster. While in Chechnya on official business for Sasha, The Detective and several men are attacked by a militaristic hit squad. He narrowly survives and joins up with a group of Russian soldiers. This is the last we see of The Detective for a few years.

Meanwhile Sasha has become a father and his marriage with Olya faces turbulence. Fil has become a stunt man in action movies while Kosmos has become a drug addict. After a jealous movie producer attempts to kill Sasha, Kosmos, and Fil with a bomb in a car, Pchela, who took a different car, is quickly suspected of the treason. It is later found out that he had nothing to do with it and revenge is seeked on the movie producer because due to the explosion Fil went into a coma.

The years pass and pretty soon Sasha decides to become involved with politics. He runs for the Duma against a newly revived and vengeful Detective who shares similar views. Through dirty tricks and well planned advertising and campaigning, Sasha wins narrowly. In vengeance, The Detective hires a killer within Sasha's organization to kill him and his three friends. The killer, a long trusted member of the gang, accomplishes his goal except for one person, Sasha. However later on Sasha fakes his and his wife and childs death in order to trick the enemy. After getting his wife and child to safety Sasha exacts his vengeance on The Detective and the gang member who killed his friends. Thus putting an end to the epic tale.

Characters

Sasha Belov- The leader of the Brigada. He is smart and very business oriented but has numerous vices, such as infidelity. He cares deeply for his three friends and when one of them is considered to be a traitor, he refuses to believe it.

Fil- After Sasha he seems to be the most level-headed member of the group. He is a boxer early on and then becomes a stunt man. After a failed assassination attempt, he goes into a long coma for several years.

Kosmos- The comic relief of the group. He's also the flashiest one. Later in the series Sasha finds it hard to trust Kosmos but ultimately they remain good friends. He develops a serious cocaine problem.

Pchela- Or Bee, is the quiet soft spoken member of the group. He is successful with women yet very confused sometimes. After what seemed like a treacherous act on his part, Sasha forgave him and ultimately discovered who the real perpetrator was.

Olya- Sasha's wife and only love. Throughout the decade they have their share of domestic squabbles, some more serious than others, but by the end they solidify their love. She is a violinist and was raised by her grandmother.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Brigada ]

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