Exploring Season 3 of 'Peace! Friendship! Chewing Gum!'
Review of Season Three of the Series "Peace! Friendship! Chewing Gum!": The Spirit of the 90s, Coming of Age, and the Inevitability of Change
Release Date: May 4, 2023
Director: Anton Fyodorov
Rating: 8 out of 10
The series "Peace! Friendship! Chewing Gum!" has long captured viewers' hearts, skillfully blending nostalgia for the tumultuous 1990s with an engaging, multilayered narrative. The third season, which premiered on the online platform Premier, once again immerses us in the atmosphere of provincial Russia in the mid-90s, but this time through the lens of the main characters’ transition to adulthood.
Characters Mature, Problems Intensify
At the heart of the narrative is the energetic group of friends, who despite the passage of two years, find themselves entangled in unexpected scenarios. The new season unfolds during the summer of 1996, symbolically coinciding with the start of a new chapter in the lives of its characters.
- Sanya (Egor Gubarev) has left his school days behind, striving to navigate the complexities of adult life. His budding relationship with his girlfriend (Alexandra Khorova) adds a romantic layer to the story, yet fails to shield him from everyday challenges, such as his job at a cassette stall.
- Vovka (Egor Abramov) and Malaya (Polina Gukhman) are now young parents. Vovka, maintaining his characteristic self-assurance, attempts to support his family but resorts to questionable methods of income.
- Ilya (Fedor Roshchin), a character wrestling with inner turmoil, has now taken to physical self-improvement, adding a dramatic facet to his persona.
- Zhenya (Valentina Lyapina) makes her return to her hometown not alone, but accompanied by her fiancé (Fedor Fedotov), a twist that surprises her friends.
Sanya's family struggles also take center stage, with his mother (Ksenia Katalymova) arrested for financial malfeasance, while his father (Stepan Devinin) hopes for assistance from a former partner, who may not be quite what he seems.
A Crime-Filled Tula: A Whirlwind of Events
The writers, opting for explicit storytelling, prominently set the events in Tula. After the developments of the first two seasons, the city has undergone significant changes: several key players in the criminal underworld have met their demise, necessitating the introduction of new characters and even the "resurrection" of former ones.
Viewers can anticipate the unexpected return of Alik (Yuri Borisov) and Vitka (Nikita Pavlenko), whose deaths in the previous season seemed conclusive. This time, the writers have made a commendable effort to substantiate their survival in a more plausible manner, injecting intrigue and dynamism into the storyline.
Soundtrack: The Voice of an Era
The musical score remains one of the series' greatest strengths. Compositions by Mujus expertly capture the anxious yet hopeful mood of the time. The soundtrack features hits from the 90s that evoke nostalgia, with particular attention given to the album "Morskaya" by the band "Mumiy Troll," which is oddly released a year earlier than its real-life timeline.
Slow Start or Calm Before the Storm?
In stark contrast to the previous seasons, the third installment opens with a relatively gentle unfolding of events. Nevertheless, a sense of tension is palpable from the outset. The pivotal question is whether the creators will maintain this pace or, as before, plunge the characters into a maelstrom of exhilarating and perilous adventures.
The third season of "Peace! Friendship! Chewing Gum!" emerges as a high-quality continuation of the tale surrounding maturation, the challenges of decision-making, and the ethos of the complex 90s. Despite some controversial plot choices, the series remains one of the standout examples of modern Russian cinema. Its intrigue, dynamic pacing, and emotional depth render it a must-watch for anyone who appreciates drama interwoven with historical context.