The Steamroller and the Violin

The Steamroller and the Violin

Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky

Produced by Mosfilm

196146 min7.1 / 10

A tender portrait of an unlikely friendship between a withdrawn child and a working-class man that restores joy and spontaneity to a regimented young life.

Seven year old Sasha practices violin every day to satisfy the ambition of his parents. Already withdrawn as a result of his routines, Sasha quickly regains confidence when he accidentally meets and befriends worker Sergei, who works on a steamroller in their upscale Moscow neighborhood.

Questions people ask

  • Is The Steamroller and the Violin violent? No. Less violent than 92% of films.

  • Is The Steamroller and the Violin easy watching? Yes, very. More comforting than 90% of films.

  • Is The Steamroller and the Violin scary? Barely. Less frightening than 84% of films.

  • Does The Steamroller and the Violin end with hope? Yes. More hopeful than 81% of films.

  • Is The Steamroller and the Violin sad? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

Written about

56/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity32

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise68

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love72

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like The Steamroller and the Violin

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as The Steamroller and the Violin

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like The Steamroller and the Violin, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like The Steamroller and the Violin, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like The Steamroller and the Violin, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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