Connecting to your roots can be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. Personally, being from Germany, Ireland, Norway, and other European countries that I have yet to visit, it can feel impossible. For others in this position, the United States undoubtedly becomes home. But what if we explored ourselves further, and visited our homelands to feel a sense of self? And what if when we did, the worst possible outcome occurred? A new film channels this idea and so much more on the big screen.
Amerikatsi follows Charlie, an adult Armenian American who returns to Armenia to tap into his cultural roots and brief history in the country. What follows is an unfortunate misunderstanding that lands Charlie in an Armenian jail. Charlie takes a roundabout way to connect to his heritage when he begins observing a young couple in their home from his cell. The plot is loosely based on director Michael A. Goorjian’s grandfather’s real life story involving him fleeing Armenia for the United States at the turn of the century.
A directorial debut for actor Goorjian, Amerikatsi is a film the talent should be proud of in numerous aspects. Goorjian wrote, directed, produced, and portrayed lead Charlie. Off screen, the film has a very fluid and clear plot formation. The writing is painfully human, emotive, and memorable. Visually, the movie is beautiful, capturing vast Armenian landscapes, animals, and cultural aspects. Even pieces filmed in Charlie’s cell are whimsical and fun, which is a testament to the picture itself. The shots are edited together concisely, with a clear idea of what viewers should see and when. What this communicates to audiences is that Goorjian has a directorial eye that should not be overlooked. On screen, Goorjian is extremely likeable. Viewers will cheer from their seats for Charlie as well as tear up for his misfortunes. Furthermore, to succeed in every role he took on to craft this picture while also connecting it to a storyline that is personal to Goorjian is admirable. The sky is the limit for the well known talent turned new director, and this endeavor feels very different from Goorjian’s past acting roles.
Actor Hovik Keuchkerian and actress Narine Grigoryan take on the roles of Tigran and Ruzan, the couple that lives across from Charlie’s cell window. Throughout the film—with the exception of a few moments with Tigran—the two are acting strictly from a wide view of their home with windows between them and the cameras. This means very little to no smothered dialogue can be heard, forcing the talents to rely on their body language and a more theatrical acting style to get their storyline across. However, they do this wonderfully. The duo shows the flaws and joys of being human without those watching ever questioning what they are trying to show us. It’s nearly impossible to not become invested in their lives, just as Charlie does. Keuchkerian is given a short amount of time on screen from another perspective for one of the more emotional sequences of the entire picture and shows off his acting chops as well.
With a 116 minute runtime that doesn’t feel nearly that long, Amerikatsi is enjoyable from start to finish. Some moments may feel less enticing than others, but those are very short lived and viewers are thrown back into the heart of the storyline once again. The important thing to note about this piece is that it has a very compassionate feel to it, highlighting exactly what it means to be human and all that comes with that. A roller coaster of emotions in the best way, Goorjian shines a spotlight on the lowest point in one’s life and finds beauty in it.
All in all, Amerikatsi is a triumph whichever way you look at it. To see a film such as this receive acclaim would be justified. Regardless of whether or not it achieves this, Goorjian is one to watch, both on and off screen. Keep an eye out for Amerikatsi and leave a comment with your thoughts on the film.
https://awardsradar.com/2023/11/27/film-review-amerikatsi-celebrates-much-more-than-armenian-culture/
