The first thing that struck me about this movie was how it took place in Ukraine. Ukraine is the place of my origin so the setting definitely appealed to me and I could identify with the movie right away, even understanding the words they spoke. The second thing that struck me however was the terrible accent that Alex had. This, for me, detracted from the film.

I didn’t especially like the movie. Its message wasn’t as poignant or moving as others we have watched in this class. I understand most of the message comes from the grandfather who was ashamed to be ashamed of being Jewish, and the story that the old woman tells changes his perspective. At the end of the trip Jonathan wasn’t afraid of dogs anymore. "Everything is illuminated in the light of the past, always on the inside looking out". I like how Jonathan sees everyone he meets during his trip at the airport, as a different person.

During the movie someone says something like "sometimes searching for a ring in the water is useless" which reminded me of the Strayed memoir we read where she says "I thought about how if you lose a ring in a river, you are never going to get it back, no matter how badly you want it or how long you wait."

I am curious to find out where this movie is filmed because the landscape is absolutely beautiful and takes away some of my fear of traveling to Ukraine.