Wow! Where to begin? _Lilya Forvever_ (or 4-Ever, if you prefer) is the most stunning and bleak film I have ever seen. I wanted to compare it to _Kids_ (1995) or _Fish Tank_ (2009), but those movies are warm and optimistic when weighed against this.
I don't want to get into spoilers at all, so I'll limit this to more about tone, and technical aspects.
We follow the titular Lilya - played flawlessly by Oksana Akinshina - she lives in poverty, in Russia. At only sixteen, she is abandoned by her mother. Having nothing and no one, life quickly spirals from bad to worse. What makes the direction of the movie so difficult is we, as the audience, can see coming a mile away the next tragedy that will befall our Lilya.
I'll move on to the actors, since there are only two who are really worth mentioning: Oksana, and Artyom - who plays Volodja. Oksana plays Lilya as sweet, and trusting; in less capable hands she would have come across as stupid, and apathetic. Oksana plays her with so much sympathy that your heart breaks as you watch her fall farther and farther.
Artyom plays the part of Lilya's only friend, and wow! He must have been only thirteen or fourteen. Both of them put so many child actors to shame. To have kids in a movie this heavy and have them play their parts to perfection is truly amazing.
As for the camera work, there are some odd choices, but they must have been intentional: 1. The cinematography could almost be called sloppy, yet it gives the film a documentary feel. 2. The look is so soft and grainy, like it was shot with an old camera or on 16mm film or both.
I'll end the review with this: _Lilya Forever_ is a deeply upsetting film, and it's only exacerbated by the fact that you care about Lilya, you want her to be happy, and have a better life. In some ways this reminds me of Justine by The Marquis de Sade.
I'd recommend this to anyone who likes indie dramas, but just know what you're getting into. This is not a fun ride. The movie is harsh from start to finish.