WasAnnon Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

MamaGravity good back-story, and good acting

Cassandra Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

TxMike This is one of Robin Williams's very early movies just a couple of years after the TV series 'Mork and Mindy' and right before such successes as 'Good Morning Vietnam' and what followed. Of course now we know what a big star he became, and also his unfortunate death last year.Robin Williams is Russian musician Vladimir Ivanoff and most of the first part of the movie depicts how hard it was in Moscow in the early 1980s. When a performance troupe is in New York he takes the bold step of running off at a department store, chased by Russian officials, but he manages to secure refuge.The rest of the movie has him working hard to make his new home there, thus 'Moscow on the Hudson.' He first takes a job busing tables in a restaurant, just carrying dirty dishes back to the dishwasher. Eventually he takes jobs like clerk at a fast food counter, running a street hot dog cart, a limo driver ... until he is able to get a new saxophone and play good music gigs.The other running story is his attraction to pretty (actually Hispanic) Maria Conchita Alonso as Italian Lucia Lombardo, also making her way into this new land. It is on again, off again because she is not sure she wants to commit to a marriage relationship but in the end it seems they will.Good movie and Williams' Russian seems fairly authentic. I saw it on the 'Movies!' channel, some of the scene with the two of them in the bathtub is blurred and some words are bleeped out.

brchthethird Directed by Paul Mazursky and starring Robin Williams, MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON is a brilliant and honest look at the immigrant/minority experience in the United States. In what is probably his finest performance, Robin Williams plays Vladimir Ivanoff, a Russian saxophone player for the circus who defects while on tour in New York City (at a Bloomingdale's, no less). Even though there is some necessary character establishment in Russia, the movie is largely concerned with his experience as an immigrant and how he adjusts to life here in the United States. During the course of the movie, he meets a black man named Lionel, who is the first person to take him in, and an Italian immigrant named Lucy (Maria Conchita Alonso).What struck me the most about the film, other than the outstanding message, was the degree to which Robin Williams immersed himself in this role. When he was on screen, it was like I was watching an actual Russian saxophone player instead of him playing a character. As a side note, he actually did learn how to speak Russian and play the saxophone for this film. Beyond that, the movie just felt real in the sense that you could believe that an immigrant would conceivably go through many of the situations portrayed in the film. To many of them, there must be this whimsy and fantastical aura when viewed from afar, but things turn out to be quite different once thrust into it headfirst as Vladimir is. Among the things I really took out of the film is the sense of community that immigrants and minorities have, something which they bring from their own life experiences.There is also the central issue of not taking freedom for granted, as I'm sure many Americans born here would understand. Seeing as this film was made during, and in the context of, the Cold War, life was understandably difficult in countries with dictatorial regimes and the lure of America, a free country, was certainly a strong one and still is to this day. That, I feel, is what should be taken away after watching this film most of all. The United States is a nation of immigrants, and we should all treat each other with respect and appreciate the freedoms we enjoy.Looking at the film from other perspectives, the technical aspects of the film are all excellent, though not flashy. Paul Mazursky allows the drama to take center stage, and it benefits the film considerably. There was also a great score with a jazz tinge, which gave off a whimsical tone at first, but also conveyed a sense of longing. Acting-wise, of course Robin Williams gives an incredibly moving portrayal of a Russian immigrant, but Maria Conchita Alonso also does a great job as his fellow immigrant girlfriend. There are also a couple of small roles played by familiar faces (to me, at least). Overall, this is a remarkably tender and uplifting drama (with some laughs as well) that has a great message and Robin Williams' best performance. This is a film that deserves to be seen, so that we can all be reminded not to take our freedoms for granted.

ccthemovieman-1 Robin Williams became famous, I think, for his stand-up comedy, like his idol Jonathan Winters, but do you realize how many movies this guy has made over the years? He's really become quite a film star and is especially good playing against-type as a criminal or simply as a wacko (see "One Hour Photo?")Anway, this was an early Robin Williams film in which he plays a Russian musician defecting to the United States. He ("Vladamir Ivanoff") first hides out in a big store in New York City before being taken in as an immigrant by a black guy (can you say PC?) Williams does an outstanding job speaking Russian, by the way, as opposed to most English-speaking actors.There really isn't much of a plot here, just slices of life, if you will, some of it with the usual Liberal promiscuous (i.e. "I'm a liberated woman and if I stay the night, don't misinterpret that I want to get involved with you," the Italian tells the Russian. I can think of a few more accurate descriptions that the word "liberated.")All in all, despite the premise and talents of Williams, this was only so-so. It kind of runs out of steam halfway through and it's hard to maintain interest in the final 40 percent of it. Actually, I like Williams better when he plays more serious roles like this although I'm not sure if he himself was ready to play it straight this early in his career. He's just too tempted in this film to produce comedy. He's a talented and very strange guy; this film reflects that.

littlebeartoe This movie is generally under-rated. Williams is great; he retains some of his own off-the-wall attitude within an entirely believable immigrant persona.The funny moments are funny, the emotional moments are emotional, and the philosophical moments are thought-provoking. I especially liked the theme of the Williams character struggling to gain street cred' as a blues musician.The movie is proud of America, but critical of the troubles immigrants face. It's not hyperbolic, and I appreciate that. The immigrants portrayed don't face the worst possible situations. They just struggle in a way that is probably quite familiar to real immigrants. (I'm no immigrant, but my wife is, and I've had my share of friends, employees, and colleagues who have had such struggles.)