Exploring the Growth in Season Three of 'Peace! Friendship! Chewing Gum!'
Release Date: May 4, 2023
Director: Anton Fyodorov
Rating: 8 out of 10
The series "Peace! Friendship! Chewing Gum!" has captured the hearts of audiences for quite some time, striking a delicate balance between nostalgia for the tumultuous 90s and a captivating, multilayered plot. With its third season premiering on the online platform Premier, viewers are once again transported back to the atmosphere of provincial Russia in the mid-90s, but this time, it’s through the lens of the characters’ maturation.
Characters Grow Up, Complications Arise
At the heart of the story remains a rambunctious group of friends, who, despite the passing of two years, find themselves embroiled in unpredictable situations. The new season unfolds in the summer of 1996, which symbolically aligns with the beginning of a new phase in the protagonists’ lives.
- Sanya (Egor Gubarev) has left his school days behind and is trying to navigate the complexities of adulthood. His budding relationship with a girl (Alexandra Khlomova) adds a romantic touch to the narrative but fails to shield him from everyday struggles, such as working in a cassette shop.
- Vovka (Egor Abramov) and Malaya (Polina Gukhman) have stepped into parenthood. True to his self-assured character, Vovka grapples with the responsibility of providing for his family, though he chooses some rather questionable methods to make ends meet.
- Ilya (Fyodor Roshchin), a character marked by internal turmoil, now becomes engrossed in personal physical development, which adds a layer of drama to his existence.
- Zhenya (Valentina Lyapina) returns to her hometown not alone but with a fiancé (Fyodor Fedotov), which unexpectedly shakes things up among her close friends.
Family issues surrounding Sanya also take center stage, as his mother (Ksenia Katalymova) faces arrest for financial crimes, while his father (Stepan Devonin) hopes for assistance from a former partner, who may not be what he seems.
Criminal Tula: A Whirlwind of Events
The screenwriters, opting for directness over subtlety, make it clear that Tula is the backdrop for the unfolding drama. Following the events of the first two seasons, the city has undergone significant changes: many key figures from the criminal underbelly have met their demise, prompting the creators to introduce new characters and even "revive" some old faces.
Viewers can expect surprising returns of characters such as Alic (Yuri Borisov) and Vitka (Nikita Pavlenko), whose deaths in the previous season seemed final. This time around, the writers have managed to craft plausible scenarios for their survival, injecting intrigue and dynamism into the storyline.
Soundtrack: The Voice of an Era
Musical accompaniment remains one of the show's standout features. Mujus's compositions expertly encapsulate the mood of an anxious yet hopeful era. The series is also graced by hits from the 90s that evoke a strong sense of nostalgia. Notably, the album "Sea" by the band "Mumiy Troll" makes an appearance, surprisingly released a year earlier than it should have been based on real-time chronology.
A Slow Start or the Calm Before the Storm?
Unlike previous seasons, the third installment begins with a relatively slow-paced unfolding of events. However, an underlying tension is palpable from the early episodes. The question remains whether the creators will maintain this rhythm or, as is customary, immerse the characters in a whirlwind of captivating and perilous escapades.
The End
The third season of "Peace! Friendship! Chewing Gum!" stands as a commendable continuation of a tale about coming-of-age, the difficulties of choice, and the spirit of the challenging 90s. Despite some controversial plot decisions, the project remains one of the finest examples in contemporary Russian cinema. The blend of intrigue, dynamic storytelling, and emotional depth makes this series a must-watch for anyone who values drama with a historical backdrop.