The film, Ya Ljyublya Tebya, or "You, I love," is a complex film celebrating several aspects of the contemporary, post-Soviet consumerism society of Putin's Russia. We see three people: Vera, who is an anchorwoman for one of the televised Russian news; Timofei, a young professional working at a Muscovite advertising agency, and Uloomji, a young Kalmyk who has come to Moscow in search for work and is eventually employed at the local zoo. One day, Timofei meet Vera at the restaurant, and Vera discovers that she has been pickpocketed. As a bystander who observed the pickpocketing, Timofei feels nothing but obliged to pay for the lunch, and this is the start of romance for the both of them. We see them eating and cooking tasty food, and Vera admits that she has a love for food. They make love amidst food around them, and after lovemaking, we see Vera taking a very satisifying bite into a green apple. It appears to be a celebration of the hedonist lifestyle, taking in pleasure of food and sex.

We see Uloomji walking around in Moscow with an air of innocence and naivety, observing all the new things he encounters in the ultra-modern metropolis. He sees people withdrawing money from an automatic teller machine, and askes his boss about "the cabinet with a television in it, which gives money out to people." This simplicity is very refreshening, as we observe the common daily occurances that we take for granted through the eyes of an outsider. One day, Uloomji practises walking on the top of a fence, until when he falls down as Timofei is driving down the road. Timofei cannot just leave Uloomji behind, so he takes him to a hospital.

Eventually, Timofei allows Uloomji to stay at his apartment with him, which leads Uloomji to 'seduce' Timofei, whilst Vera walks onto them. Both Timofei and Vera are spellbound by Uloomji's passion for living the life to the fullest in a sensual fashion. They become involved into a love triangle, a rather composed battle for Timofei.

Here are some quotes from the film, when Vera is accompanying Timofei to a gay house party:

"I guess I should do something, or I'd lose a grip of this ground."
"...afraid to vanish under my anchorwoman image..."
"I learn from you how to betray all for sake of self..."
"That's more important in this world, which every moment robs us of ourselves..."
"I'm at a loss here."

These quotes seems to resonate with me very well as nowadays I have been reading a book called "Reinventing Yourself," where it talks about taking ownership in your actions and situations. It seems as if Vera is starting to realise, as Timofei starts to accept his homosexual lifestyle, that it is also time for her to take ownership of her life. We allow ourselves to be dictated by our obligations and responsiblities that we start to forget who we are and plunge into a life of mediocrity. It is wonderful to have a film to show us that we have to keep ownership of our lives no matter what, and to enjoy our lives to the maximum.

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