Lorik

Lorik is a 2018 Armenian drama film directed and written by Alexey Zlobin. The film stars the well-known Armenian actor, Michael Poghosian, telling the tale of the main character Lorik's pursuit of honesty and meaning in the seemingly chaotic world around him. Also starring in the movie are Evgeniya Dmitrieva and Irene Ayvazyan, each significantly contributing to the dynamic narrative of the story.

The film Lorik utilizes a unique narrative strategy to present a profound exploration of human interaction and the large-scale social complications of a modern urban world, the setting being the multi-faceted city of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. Michael Poghosian gives an extraordinary performance as the protagonist, Lorik, who is a famous actor with a magnetic personality and a natural talent for connecting with people.

In a poorly taken twist of events, Lorik starts to turn into the characters he portrays due to a strange illness, bringing the characters of his roles to life in the complicated world of Yerevan. It is substantial not just for Lorik concerning his career as an actor, but also from a perspective of his role as a protagonist in the societal construct. He's no longer just Lorik, he's multiple personas harbored in a single body. He is now a multifaceted individual who undergoes various experiences and embodies diverse characters that represent the chaos, complexity, and beauty of the human condition.

In this film, Zlobin uses the medical condition of Lorik to present a metaphor about the contradictory nature of the human personality, and how these contradictions are manifested in our behaviour, values, and beliefs. The elaborate narrative explores the delicate balance between truth and performance, private life, and public role, personal identity and societal expectations.

The supporting cast, notably Evgeniya Dmitrieva and Irene Ayvazyan, help to illustrate this exploration of character-driven narrative in both personal and wider societal contexts. Their characters contribute to the fascinating depiction of complex human relationships and interactions, awakening emotional responses and pushing Lorik into deeper introspection about life, his roles, and the larger social milieu. Their presence helps to flesh out the broad cityscape of Yerevan that Zlobin skillfully paints with nuanced characters and complex dynamics.

The film takes a sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant look at life, existence, and societal order through the lens of an individual, who is, at once, everyone and no one – an ordinary man sent into the extraordinary situation of living his performances. There is a subtext of the self and society's drama, individual and collective identities, and how they intertwine, conflict, and inform each other's existence. Therefore, it also becomes an investigation of the context one lives in, how that shapes one, and the constant quest for authenticity amidst the role-plays one necessarily has to partake in.

Poghosian’s performance is a testament of a seasoned actor's finesse, whose virtuosic execution makes the film’s challenging concept relatable and convincingly real. The filmmaker's vision and cinematic brilliance intersect beautifully with Poghosian’s performance, resulting in a narrative spectacle that is engrossing, illuminating, and deeply human.

Lorik beautifully trades lines between fiction and reality, delving into the complexities of identity, society, and human nature. It uses the surreal to depict the real, the dramatic to reflect on the mundane, and uses make-believe to navigate truth. The city of Yerevan is depicted as a living, breathing character in itself, with its distinctive heritage, bringing to life its multicultural background and layered socio-political life.

All in all, Lorik is a compelling film that stands as a powerful commentary on contemporary issues, emphasizing the role of art in opening up conversations about identity and social dynamics. The film allows the viewers to reflect on the multi-faceted aspects of human existence and the relationship between self and society in a fast-paced, ever-changing world.