A Brilliant Conflict

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

In the middle of 80's the stagnation spread in all sectors of the soviet economy. Stucked in the 70's - that what can you say about this movie, and that what make it good. On the way for fishing Leonid Karetnikov (Leonid Kuravlev) finds the the body of a man on the roadside and admit a car driving out of there (the Volga). While Karetnikov call the police, the body was gone. Also disappeared the bag with tools to crack safes, lying next to body. Pursuing the investigation of the case, Colonel Kornilov (Anatoly Kuznetsov)states that the victims appeared somebody Lev Kotlukov - known "safecracker" nicknamed Leo the Bour. Also, it appears that he get hit by a car belongs to citizen Osokin (Vyacheslav Ezepov), professor of the Institute, which has no relation to criminal organizations. To reveal the intentions of criminals, Kornilov decided to put his men - Major Bugaev (Yevgeny Gerasimov) in the gang. What make it work? It's neat and well acted. Here the black is black and the white is white. The good characters valiant and a bit naive, the villains is cowardly and nervous. You can even see that its a bit grotesque. When Colonel get know that witness who follow the criminals were injured, and thats fault of village alcoholic who spend his money for train on vodka and didn't report to police in time, he said: "Bloody drunks!" - so serious, its just awesome. The movie get it name from the confession of Osokin, whom try to escape punishment and hided, "It's strange: five minutes of fear changed everything". There's a pursuit/chase, shooting, thrilling moments but most sense that FMoF make everyone of fair soviet citizens proud who they are. Nowadays detective movies lose this feeling.