The Fool

At its core, The Fool follows Dima Nikitin, a plumber who is drawn into a moral test when a dormitory housing 800 residents teeters on collapse. Overnight, the structure seems unsafe and lives hang in the balance as repairs are slow. Dima refuses to stay quiet, insisting that safety, urgency, and accountability must override bureaucratic inertia. He confronts a maze of officials and excuses, each stall pushing the deadline closer to catastrophe. The film builds a tight, clock watching mood as an ordinary man takes on a system that values appearances over people. Time ticks away and the camera tracks residents waiting for word, reminding us how fragile safety can be. The story stays grounded in concrete concerns.

Directed by Yury Bykov and released in 2014, The Fool draws on Bykov's screenplay. With a budget around 1.3 million dollars, the film leans into stark realism and lean, consequence driven storytelling, featuring Artyom Bystrov and Natalya Surkova.

Awards: The Fool did not register major international nominations. It did generate praise from critics for its unflinching portrayal of accountability and the moral complexity of a citizen who pushes back against entrenched power, helping elevate Bykov's profile in arthouse circles.

Reception and themes: Critics highlight the film's taut pacing and fearless focus on ordinary people confronting power. It probes how truth telling tests loyalty, courage, and the ethics of action, underscoring the tension between personal responsibility and institutional inertia. The drama asks what it costs to do the right thing when officials appear to choose convenience over safety.

Cultural impact: The Fool is often cited as a sharp example of bureaucratic critique in contemporary cinema. Its stark realism and moral focus have influenced conversations about public safety and civic duty, strengthening the image of a regular citizen as a catalyst for change in a system that too often hides behind procedure.