Eldar Aleksandrovich Ryazanov (b. 18 November 1927) is a Soviet/Russian film director whose comedies, satirizing the daily life of the country, are very famous throughout the former Soviet Union.
He was named a People’s Artist of the USSR in 1984, and received the USSR State Prize in 1977. The asteroid 4258 Ryazanov is named after him.
Among his most famous films are Carnival Night (1955), Hussar Ballad (1962), Beware of the Car (1966), The Irony of Fate (1975), Office Romance (1977), The Garage (1979), and A Cruel Romance (1984). Ryazanov’s main genre is tragicomedy.
Overlong but charming tale examining the cookie-cutter modernization of urban life. A man winds up in another city, takes a cab to his adress not realzing where he is as everything is pretty much the same. That is until the woman who lives there shows up. A farce ensues. Those reading political content into this one may be overreaching a little. A light comedy really that could have been better an hour shorter.
Art critics see the film as a work of social criticism, about the monotony and soulless uniformity under Soviet communism. But by far the most resonant theme is easy to pick out – heavy drinking. More national TV stations should broadcast the film during New Year's eve.