In 2008, this just doesn't cut it. A whole movie taking place in a foreign country, in this case in Russia, in which *everybody* are supposed to be Russians, and during the whole freaking film they're talking to each other in English, and this with a "russian" accent so thick it's at times hard to make out what the lines are. No, no, no. This is an insult in every imaginable level. In most Hollywood crap they at least have the oh-so-clever excuse to include an American hero in the mix with whom everybody thus has to communicate in English. But even then, and this in most of the movies, when amongst other fellow country-men, they speak in their respective language. In Europe they have the habit of dubbing the movies for those that wish to escape the subtitles, but it's up to the spectator to choose which version to see (or hear). Not so here. I was trying to figure out why they spoke English for a good 20 minutes into the film, telling myself that there has to be some clever reason for it, only to finally realize that it was purely out of stupidity, arrogance and probably for some unclear commercial reasoning. The problem is that after that nothing matters. This is not serious. In fact i'm thinking it's a hoax. At one point i was certain that it's a parody, a big joke for those who can get past the third grade pseudo-thriller that seemed to be playing. But even then, i didn't laugh enough for it to be a good one. No, for the most time i was just shaking my head in wonder and desolation while asking myself if i was not being laughed at by the film maker. I strongly advice against, this is just stupid. Everybody in the world do not need English speak...

There were 2 possibly-good movies in there, but the filmmakers unwisely chose to combine them into a whole that is much less than the sum of its parts. The tragic plight of the nuclear worker and his family should have been in a different movie from the hilarious criminal enterprises of the Russian thugs. And poor Shiv-- bouncing between them-- I didn't know whether to laugh or cry during his scenes. I half-expected the gun at the end to fire a BANG sign. 3 stars for the acting of the nuclear worker, his wife, and the Mutt and Jeff thugs, but minus 7 stars for putting them in the same film. What a disappointment. Shame on HBO.

"Pu-239", or "The Half Life of Timofey Berezin" is a film set in post cold war Russia. A land ruled by competing Russian Mafia factions and run by aging, failing nuclear power plants. Timofey Berezin, a nuclear power plant technician finds himself exposed to an excessive amount of radiation caused from a near failure at the plant he works at. Eventually he learns that his company has lied to him about the extent of the exposure and he only has a matter of days to live before being overcome from radiation sickness and poisoning. His one mission is to secure a safe and healthy future for his wife and son that he will be leaving behind. His solution, steal a small amount of weapons grade plutonium (Pu-239) with the intent to sell it on the black market in Moscow, and give the money to his family. Timofey is played by actor Paddy Considine, most recently known for his role as the reporter Simon Ross in "The Bourne Ultimatum". Considine's portrayal of Timofey has similarities to that of Simon Ross. However, where Ross seemed to be the naive innocent victim of circumstances way beyond his expectations, he plays Timofey as a humble innocent man trying to serve his duty to his country, people and family, yet when faced with a horrific situation, he meets it head on with unswerving determination and resolve. The humanity and innocence mixed with cold steely tenacity that Considine brings to this character is haunting and brilliant. A truly beautiful and powerful performance. Timofey's wife, Marina is played by Radha Mitchell, an actress I have always found to have tremendous depth and power. Though many of her roles in the past seem to me to be beneath her potential (i.e. "Pitch Black", "Silent Hill") she always seems to shine through with grit and an immense presence. Pu-239 is no exception to this. Though the role is fairly minor, her abilities make it shine out bright and true in this film. Also featured prominently is the character of Shiv, played by relative newcomer Oscar Isaac. Though initially, Shiv's character seems like an obvious comic relief spot in what is otherwise a haunting and depressing world we eventually see a much greater depth to him. On the surface he seems like a two bit punk playing at being a big time Russian gangster. Yet we see in numerous instances a much more troubled and torn soul. Shiv is a man forced into his role of hustler/strongman who seems to be yearning to understand how to be a strong provider for his son and girlfriend. Though he does everything he can to hide this emotional "weakness" from those around him we see it time and time again play out in his desperation and hope for a life beyond what he has found. The clash of Shiv and Timofey's characters is a profound one. One is a man that has become an educated yet unappreciated (and eventually abandoned) scientist, who has given his life for his loved ones. The other, a criminal dealing in extortion and prostitution, desperately trying to save his hopeless life. Yet when sitting side by side, one can't ignore the similarities between them. Both in hopeless struggles for their own lives, and both yearning to provide something better for those they care for. Two starkly different paths, converged to a single moment and place in time. The shining star in this film though, are the poetic monologues placed throughout. Read by Considine, these profound thoughts on a nuclear world, a world where utter annihilation rests in a silent, invisible force that "rewrites your very DNA", resonate in an eerie, forbidding and ominous tone. They flow through this film so subtly you almost miss the power and potency of them until, like aftershocks, their ghostly beauty crashes upon the listeners consciousness. First time director, Scott Burns (co-writer of "The Bourne Ultimatum") artistically contrasts, in both music and color, the bleak hopeless life of Timofey with the flashy, colorful, yet hollow and meaningless life of Shiv. Beautiful imagery, awe inspiring monologues, and powerfully acted characters fill the screen of "Pu-239". For a team of relative newcomers, "Pu-239" is a triumphant success.

Based on a short story by Ken Kalfus, PU-239 is about a man who worked all of his adult life in a nuclear processing facility, only to find himself contaminated beyond hope of survival because the plant is literally falling apart. Faced with precious little time to look out for his family's future, a good man does a bad thing, by stealing a small quantity of weapons grade plutonium to sell on the black market. His journey takes him to Moscow,where he must deal with Russian mobsters and street thugs while trying to survive long enough to make a transaction.The film is filled with little facts about the power and dangers of radiation, and examples of the affect that perestroika has had on Russian society. The plot takes many turns as the main characters find themselves in one ironic situation after another. While the details may be contrived (hey - it's a movie), the basic plot is very plausible and the scary thing is how much enriched plutonium is actually unaccounted for in the former USSR.I feel sure this film will be made available on DVD someday. But if you have access to HBO, watch it now. If you like dark satire and science, this films for you.