Russian Mafia Expert Rates 10 Russian Mob Scenes In Movies And TV | How Real Is It? | Insider

[@paulbonaventura4969]

Paulie - "he was an interior decorator" Christopher - " his house looked like sh*t"

[@Ser_Arthur_Dayne]

Dude killed 16 Czechoslovakians! Some sort of Russian Interior Decorator!!!

[@bakhtiyarpakhirdinov2461]

Chrissie's "number two", whatever happened there

[@Dinoface96]

​@@Ser_Arthur_DayneBut there's more serious question than all of those HOW MUCH BETRAYAL CAN PAULIE TAKE??!!

[@Ser_Arthur_Dayne]

@@Dinoface96 He *NEEDS* that money for his Future Planning!!! Green Grove costs a FORTUNE & gotta have the *Silver Bird Package!!!* 😁🤣😂

[@Narfwak]

Shame everyone forgets about S2 of The Wire. "Did he have hands? Did he have a face? Yes? Then it wasn't us." Such a crazy line.

[@mf_from_hell]

Season 2 is probably my favourite as well.

[@apaaaa]

Indeed. Great season btw. Mexico, South America and the Eastern Bloc plus Russia are on a different level

[@DJ-iu5bb]

thats goated but I think Sergei was Ukrainian but he def came under the Soviet Union part of me probably wonders if the Greeks was Russian Mafia tho but Ziggy gets corrected by Sergei when Ziggy says Same thing right? " No your wrong" in I think Episode 1 or 2

[@gingerbaker_toad696]

@@Narfwak the Sopranos episode with Paulie, Michael and that russian guy in the woods is just too good as well 🤣🤣

[@jyripeltola5904]

I just watched that less than a week ago, now I'm in the 4th season for propably the 5th time. Such a great show.

[@MrMartena56]

Thank god 'Eastern Promises' gets as much attention in this video as it deserves. Truly a masterpiece of story telling.

[@yevgeniyban765]

No it sucked

[@jtysims8567]

Troll much​@@yevgeniyban765

[@natashka1982]

I grew up in tje 90s Moscow and Eastern Promises made me cringe so bad

[@natashka1982]

​@yevgeniyban765 Yes, it was terrible lol Only Americans like it

[@ptenberg72]

Meh..

[@tommyt1971]

Viggo and Cronenberg had a few long discussions about the bath house scene, supposedly David wanted Vig to wear his towel the entire time, Vig said if they wanted it to have the proper impact, he had to do it nude. I think it’s the finest thing Cronenberg has shot outside of his horror films.

[@comradet0m]

And it's also spot on that the weapon was something they would have just owned, as it was a linoleum knife.

[@WTFisTingispingis]

In John Wick's defense, Viggo was _quick_ to try and talk it out with John first when he found out what happened.

[@OrigCapnMojo]

nothing will bring his dog/wife back... therefore all debts are off.

[@LtVictor]

this

[@RapidAssaultEuro]

@@OrigCapnMojo it's "all bets are off".

[@Morpheus-pt3wq]

This was Viggo´s own failure. Not only he failed to raise his son properly and teach him to fear and avoid John, when it was up to him to make proper apology, he instead sent an extermination squad... Which was like a war declaration.

[@pitbullsensei179]

Never mess with a man's wife,kids or Dog😉

[@westnilesnipes]

10/10 breakdown just for Brother alone lol. Love that movie.

[@wckvn]

And Brigada... We're together since the first grade!

[@НикифорПетров-ы6ь]

​@@wckvn Brigada has 5 of 10 for me cause it's filmed by the mafia about themselves and obviously they wanted to show themselves better than they are.

[@andrewpiltenko9432]

One thing to point out is that pretty much always the russian language in Hollywood movies is heavily butchered or the accent is pretty much always wrong. With the exception of some background extras portrayed by russian actors.

[@grzegorzswist]

It reminded me of one of The Wire episodes. When the Police officer that was supposed to be Polish said something in polish at the end of S02. But the accent was so butchered I had to rewind a few times to get it. But the best part were the English subtitles: "Says something in Russian"

[@andrewpiltenko9432]

@@grzegorzswist grzegorz brzęczyszczykiewicz

[@nicolaiby1846]

Anything that isn't Spanish or maybe German is butchered. Hollywood keeps hiring Scandinavians to play East Slavs for some reason, and have American or British actors play Scandinavians just with made up accents. It's a clusterfuck, they've no idea about any of this.

[@mnk9073]

Try speaking German and getting exposed to "Hollywood German" in every other movie. It's not even words, just harsh guttoral growling interlaced with a Jawohl! here and a Los! there. Before Christoph Waltz got in I thing the only time you got proper German was Hogan's Heroes. Kudos for Alan Rickman in Die Hard actually giving it a fair shot...

[@jessewhittemore784]

Christopher Waltz is Austrian. Which is no longer part of Germany. Goddamn, we really have to watch yall like a child w a cookie huh?

[@DRUGGED_PARAMILITARY]

Honestly, surprisingly well made video. The guy definitely knows what he's talking about. Rare quality for those sort of videos. Mentions of things like "Brat" or Butyrka prison was really surprising

[@sonablom]

I know what you mean by these sort of videos usually not having great quality, but I have to say in defense of insider. This channel usually has really good experts.

[@ThisHandleFeatureIsStupid]

He sucks at talking, though. Way too many unnecessary pauses for my taste. Seems like he might have a breathing issue, but I'm inclined to blame his brain.

[@brolohalflemming7042]

The politics get very complicated, especially when it comes to blame. So constant repetition of Russian mafia, yet one of the big bosses cut across at least 3 movies with the US oil fraud, buying banks and politicians and he isn't Russian. Neither big nor Little Odessa are in Russia either, but their businesses have always been very connected.

[@nickscanlon3339]

Somebody get Paul Giamatti a script of this guy’s career ASAP

[@tommyt1971]

THAT would be COOL.

[@ufc990]

​@@tommyt1971 Lol, I wish you guys could get what you wish for and then were forced to watch the whole thing. Wonder how many years of paperwork youd get through before offing yourselves.

[@АлександрГлухарев-р8ф]

As a Russian I just have to like this video for bringing up the "Brother" ("Brat"). I guess a CIA operative would be the best consultant for a movie about bratva or thieves.

[@AllenZomberg]

The sequel is great too. RIP Aleksei Balabanov

[@BigBear--]

BRAT/BRAT 2, and Бригада (Law of the Lawless), are probably the two best movies and shows about the Russian Mob. There are other good ones, but these are like the gold standard.

[@leonidfro8302]

Says who? Those are as truthful as StarWars about astronomy. Or Rembo. Good movies, true, but nothing to do with reality.

[@BigBear--]

​@@leonidfro8302 Says most Russians, including this one (with plenty of real world experience on the matter). No one ever said they're documentaries though. They're obviously dramatized fiction. A little too tuned down at times, compared to reality. Life is often wilder/crazier than fiction.

[@ЯАга-я4л]

Brat was a good depiction of Russian 90s. Others are more fiction thought,that's true ​@@leonidfro8302

[@черепахаестклубничку]

@@leonidfro8302 ну первый брат вполне себе, а вот бригада это чистая фантастика

[@leonidfro8302]

@@черепахаестклубничку как развлекательный фильм - нормально, но к реальности отношения не имеет. Более того - «Брат» это не про мафию. Банда и мафия это немного разные вещи.

[@leok7193]

Could've thrown in RocknRolla in there for good measure. Good underrated film. The scene with the Russians getting robbed was gold!

[@hercengmech]

I need to watch that movie again. Been too long.

[@robertharvison6162]

abandon ship!

[@helygg8892]

Did you know handsome bob was a...ya know....

[@gingerbaker_toad696]

First thing that came to my mind was me hoping he would do 'Eastern Promises'.. and it's the first one he does :D such a great, underrated movie! They actually don't make them like that anymore..

[@DRUGGED_PARAMILITARY]

Not too realistic though. They clearly did their research but some of the details (including the coronation) were way off. Real "coronation" looks more like a corporate promotion. There's no this elaborate ceremony. Just other thieves gathering to discuss which part of the business now belongs to the newcomer, to avoid any future conflicts

[@gingerbaker_toad696]

@DRUGGED_PARAMILITARY whatever, i have never been in a russian mob.. still a great movie

[@natashka1982]

It sucked horribly

[@gingerbaker_toad696]

@natashka1982 not as bad as you

[@norwegianblue2017]

I watched a reaction channel from a Russian girl. She didn't have any insights into the Russian mob, but she was truly impressed how many things Eastern Promises got right with the language and culture.

[@paranidherc]

I mean, they meant Babaika, not Baba Yaga, it was just an error that has been fixed after the movie was released in the BluRay versions. Which is why he calls him the Boogeyman, not Scary Old Woman.

[@lwrncschmchr]

Chernobog would have been a better reference, IMO. The "Black God," "God of Misfortune," or simply "The Devil"

[@paranidherc]

@@lwrncschmchr In a way, but parents don't really tell their children stories of Chernobog anymore XD Babaika is still fairly common, even my mom told me about it when I was little and that was like... 30 years ago.

[@ОсликИа-я2ы]

@@paranidherc babaika is a kid's scare considered laughable by everyone who's not under 3 years old. Tbf nobody would take him seriously with either of those nicknames.

[@vaclavmajer5488]

calling baba yaga scary old woman is like calling hitler average angry german

[@TheJoebuddha]

But baba is grandmother. Baba yaga is basically old evil witch

[@quite1enough]

The Brother 1997 russian movie by Alexei Balabanov had an enormous budget of $10k or so, actors were paid something by only food and had to bring their own clothes. As a Russian I'm not a fan of this movie for ethnical reasons, but it captures Saint Petersburg, the city I live now and grew up, captures the 1990s and my childhood feeling from the city, and also touches upon the issue of organized crime growth after first Chechen war. The movie misunderstood quite a lot, director actually made Danila an anti-hero, but director's ambiguous style made people think that was Danila sort of a folk hero. In Brother 2 (2000) director was mocking this idea of Danila being folk hero, making him saying and doing stuff pretty much on the nose quite sarcastically, but people loved Danila (and the movie) even more. The actor Sergei Bodrov Jr. that played in both Brothers tragically lost his life in the Kolka-Karmadon rock ice slide at the end of the second day of shooting of his movie "The messenger" in 2002. He was 30 years old. 125 people died that day in that tragedy. His body was never found, hence the urban legends that he's actually alive and just went for solitary life in Caucasian mountains. I personally not a fan of Balabanov movies in general, but he made quite a few interesting ones, including "Of Freaks and Men" 1998 (Про уродов и людей), about adult photo makers during last years of imperial Russia.

[@bjhale]

1990s: Russians talked a lot of BS about themselves, but knew it was BS. 2000s: Russians talked a lot of BS about themselves, and were starting to believe it. I feel like you can see this in the difference in tone between Brat 1 and Brat 2. At the very least, by the time of Brat 2, you can see audiences at least wanting to believe.

[@Gedagnors]

You used Bilibin's illustration for Baba Yaga... Wow... I like how your experts work, this is very professional!!!

[@penhullwolf5070]

"Because he dodges bullets Avi......."

[@eduardgorte8241]

Wow he mentioned Брат and Бригада 😳

[@solokom]

What drives me crazy is when movies show ANY Russians, and they toast with "nazdrove" - which is POLISH! It doesn't matter if it's a small film or a 100-million-dollar production. Obviously, there can't be found a single Russian or just any Russian-speaking person in the whole US. 🤨

[@Baboonery_]

what are you talking about? They usually say "za zdorovje" but "na" also works...

[@solokom]

@Baboonery_ nope it's both wrong. Na zdarovje is when you serve food, and the person says "thank you" you would answer "na zdorovje" (two words) and it's not a toast. Nazdorove as a toast doesn't makes sense in Russian whatsoever since 1. the prepositions is wrong (it's za not na) and 2. in russian it's two words, za being the correct preposition for toasts. Za zdarovje as a toast is not wrong but it's more common to say sth. Like "vashe/tvajo zdarovje"

[@iz778]

@@solokom There is no one correct way to toast. As they say in Russian: "Было бы что пить, а повод найдется." roughly translated , "As long as there is something to drink, we'll find the cause" :-) The "za zdorov'e " is not wrong. Here is an example form a famous poem "Враги сожгли родную хату": Не осуждай меня, Прасковья, Что я пришел к тебе такой: Хотел я выпить за здоровье, А должен пить за упокой.

[@solokom]

@@iz778 I didn't say there was. I only explained how *not* to toast in Russian, which is toasting in Polish. ;) "za zdorov'e " is not grammatically wrong, but it's not used as a toast (anymore?). Maybe it has been used as a toast in the past, but the poem you quote is from 1945 and since then, 80 years ago, the Russian language changed a lot.

[@grzegorzswist]

Doesn't help that often in Hollywood Russians are played by Polish actors.

[@robertharvison6162]

really enjoyed this presented by a true professional👋👋

[@ChairmanMeow1]

Eastern Promises is still one of the most brutal movies Ive ever seen in my life. That fight scene in the shower, jesus.

[@Reina.Nijinsky]

0:14 ofc that’s not true. That’s NYPD’s motto 🙌🏼

[@landonfolken03]

Oh come on geez. Comments like this are so ignorant. It's not limited to just New York!

[@Reina.Nijinsky]

@ 😹👍🏼

[@Maxrepfitgm]

Only for unarmed black people

[@legaliseme]

Lmao too true, especially if your fare jumping

[@erincoco612]

All cops.

[@adhc8560]

This is fascinating. I knew virtually nothing about the Russian mob. At least the Russians in The Sopranos - Valery and Slava - were played by real Russians and didn't talk like Boris and Natasha cartoons.

[@semionbronfen1839]

I thought it will be a bunch of stigmatic scenes with appropriate commentary - but man, you had it with Brat scene. As born and raised in Russia in 80s and 90s - this movie represents and shows the life exactly it was back then. Huge like only because of scene of this movie.

[@KatyaOrlova-jp1gy]

It's sad for me that, as a Russian, I just know all this stuff-it's simply a part of the culture.

[@ChosenOne1991]

Every race has a form of gang culture. Your not special. An Russians aren't just known for this.

[@ML6103]

I feel sorry for you that Russia will never progress. Genuinely, there are so many amazing things about the Russian people. But 'the culture' and the thinking makes you think the enemy is some other nation, but it's in the mirror.

[@KatyaOrlova-jp1gy]

@ML6103 Россия будет свободной

[@MaximusAugustusOrthodox]

@@ML6103imao what are you talking about Russia has the 4th largest economy and a quiet strong economy. Bro believes to much American propaganda send by the military industrial complex to have a bogeyman 😂

[@ML6103]

​@@KatyaOrlova-jp1gy I certainly hope so my friend

[@juanlauda2300]

I used to visit the Sanduny Banya in Moscow... There were some VERY scary people there, but the guys waiting outside, they were a different league.

[@gennerobootz6490]

I love that movie eastern promises. I love the fact at the end it turns out he was an undercover FSB operative.

[@BReal100]

22:18 - This. This is real talk.

[@GeoffryGifari]

The way he told the stories made the heyday of the Russian mafia seem so exciting

[@michaelchallis4129]

They fell off.

[@struvrim7637]

@@michaelchallis4129 I don't think so. They just fast-forwarded through the history of the twentieth century for the US (since it was the US that created their market economy in its own image and likeness, which is why in many ways these two countries became more similar than many people think at first glance. American experts invested heavily in them in the 90s and taught them literally everything, not only the market economy, but also how to abuse elections, bribe politicians, and so on) I think the same thing happened to their mafia as to the gangsters of the 1930s for the same reasons. Some of them simply went into legal business, some became billionaires, some went into politics, some went to prison, some are dead, and only a few continued to engage in criminal activity.

[@realpoetics]

... really? "exciting"??

[@ThisHandleFeatureIsStupid]

@@realpoetics Well he's not wrong. That word certainly applies well to many of the experiences you'd get.

[@NanoDrish]

Seeing "Брат" was unexpected but welcome. This film is so iconic in Russia.

[@jonasdauerbrenner6432]

all time classic

[@____DK____]

Brother is one of my utmost favourite movies of all time! Really cool that you guys included it in your list. This movie really depicts the 90s in Russia.

[@zero11010]

Hey, can you guys get a pizza delivery expert on to rate some pizza delivery scenes from adult movies? I really need to know which ones are the most accurate. Thanks!

[@michaelchallis4129]

They can get one in 30 minutes or it’s free.

[@elmandarin1002]

Not a movie, but I wish they had covered GTA IV. Brother will suffice since the earlier part of the game takes inspiration from Brother and its sequel.

[@maxbelt6980]

Fun fact about GTA 4 that main character looks like Russian actor Vladimir Mashkov in movie "Behind enemy line"

[@roadtomanitoba9753]

Guy is indeed really knowledgeable. The thing about russian "mafia" whatever this mean, is that all of these people are either dead or got promoted to run russian government or own a british football clubs, and they are ashamed of their past. Its all folklore now, nobody does stars on their knees anymore, guys who has them are in their 70es, nobody listen to them anymore, but they keep their privileges out of respect.

[@IgorMikeshin]

People still do stars on their knees. I know some personally. They're just not the Thieves necessarily, just otritsalovo

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

... guys who have* them / nobody listens* to them

[@georges4061]

Have you read last boss of Brighton? They are very much still highly active. It's just not like what we're accustomed to here structure wise and behavior wise. More akin to a street gang with very high IQ and talent. Is best id describe it.

[@CommonContentArchive]

Some gangs in the US are also cracking down on identifiable tattooing. Turns out, tattooing the name of your gang on your neck isn't such a great idea

[@Randomnamegenerator11]

Anyone who wants to learn more about Mafia and crime in Russia during the 90's should watch brat and brat2. They are masterpieces...

[@11SerZh]

Hello from 2017 Я узнал, что у меня Нет в России ни *уя: Нету нефти, нету газа, Нету золота, алмазов, Нет свободы, правды нет, Под угрозой интернет. Нет дорог и автобанов, Инноваций нету нано. Нет науки, школы нет, Медицине шлю привет! А у дяди, с дружбанами *ляди, вилы на Майами Самолеты и заводы Яхты, дачи, пароходы Все что нету у меня Все у них есть, до *уя. Дети учатся в Сорбоннах Деньги крутятся в Андоррах Но сидят они в России И радеют, каждый час За законы, против смысла, За откаты, за Глонас За распил убогих пенсий За развал полей и весей За продажу вод и недр За все то, чем край наш щедр! Их себе не выбирали И до этого не знали Но пришли они, и вот Все пошло "Как Бог пошлет".

[@godfreyofbouillon966]

russian trash. But soundtrack was good indeed.

[@Randomnamegenerator11]

@godfreyofbouillon966 not everyone has good taste. 😁

[@godfreyofbouillon966]

@@Randomnamegenerator11 Exactly. Some that dont have it, like ruski trash brat and brat2

[@TheMadSlavik]

Brat 2 is more of a director's satire on how his main character of the first movie became a national superhero in Russia then an actual portrayal of russian mafia

[@JoshScafe]

"typically crime was not done in bathhouses; Murder outside of bathhouse."

[@Minimal444]

Damn even a clip from russian movie "Brat" (Brother) and he talks about "Brigada". The guy knows his stuff for sure.

[@dontcallmezoo]

If he knew it all, he'd point out that the "Chechnyan" boss was not speaking Chechnyan

[@georgeforeman1097]

​@dontcallmezoo why would he point that out? Its a movie. He also didnt point out they were speaking english in most these Russian mafia movies. Why? Because their movies.

[@ivanm3342]

Took me by surprise, didn’t expect to see it. Now I just wish the segment on brigade was longer, but it seems he just brought it up himself, they didn’t prepare it?

[@BigBear--]

Бригада is probably one of my favorite Russian Mob, fictional pieces of media. Such a classic. I always wished they made a sequel...There's another show/series, that I can't remember the name of, it was really good. I just remember watching it with my family when I was younger...I'll ask them, I'm sure they remember. It was on the same level.

[@akivasandler]

@@BigBear-- Banditskiy Peterburg (Outlaw Petersburg) miniseries, 2000?

[@amandaallen341]

I am a US Marine veteran, I was on deployment in 1999. One of the stops we made in the golf was UAE, me, and quite a few other Infantry Marines walked into a nightclub. We are war fighters, not bar room brawler. The moment that we walked in about five very serious man or Caucasian got up and slowly started walking towards us. We knew the best ending would be to exit. On a battlefield, a different story than in their nightclub. Too bad that could’ve been some good foreign relation stories.

[@ihavegymnastics]

This episode is absolutely outstanding.

[@wyldhowl2821]

I need to check out Brigada. Sounds like it's the equivalent for Russia's scene what Gomorrah was re: Italy.

[@DRUGGED_PARAMILITARY]

Brigade is a great series. Not too long, only 12 episodes if I remember correctly. Although You might have problems with finding it available with English subtitles, let alone voiceover.

[@BigBear--]

I think it is available in english somehow, cause you can find it under the english title of: Law Of The Lawless.

[@piergiorgioscollo7163]

"Gomorra" is about Naples. A very specific type of crime.

[@BigBear--]

​@@piergiorgioscollo7163What does location have do with a specific crime?

[@pmccord9]

Fascinating commentary. The Vory have a terrifying and rich history.

[@stormblessed2321]

I looked up Alexander Solonik.. wow. It's crazy that when you look for photos of him, only two...TWO photos exist on the internet.

[@Morhgoz]

Just have to say that the guy attacking Viggo's character in sauna is not not member of Russian Mob, but another group and is from area where that type knife has long and dark history, because when Germans did take it over in WWII, they did list local thugs to SS and they did work as kill squads and use that type of working knife to kill tens of thousands of people...

[@L1berty1776]

I love that he actually included russisn movies and shows. BRAT(BROTHER) & BRIGADA (BRIGADE) must watch

[@shamangamingkz]

Mob Peterborough

[@adamritter1396]

Excellent video thank you.

[@LyndaMarie929]

Eastern Promises was a masterpiece. History of Violence was as well. Cronenberg is a master storyteller. I miss movies like that.

[@connorthompson8376]

You should have historians or mob experts do a reaction video to the episode about prohibition from the KZbin channel Oversimplified. It’s a funny yet memorable take on history.

[@genin69]

Ah no ways! Lord of War! At 16:29 I'm the blonde guy on the left. That scene was shot in Cape Town South Africa. Was fun to meet Nicholas Cage. Also got to meet Michelle rodriguez at the afterparty. That film got me an imdb rating but also broke my thumb during one of the takes. The idiot on my right wasnt a stunt man and dove with the ak47 right onto my thumb

[@IvanFiler]

What about the Bumer? For BMW 7 with 4 badits. You're right, Brat 1 is really the essence of 90's!

[@ofcatarina]

"I don't like this scene, bathhouse were generally places of safety." That is the of the point of the scene man. They're doing him dirty.

[@Ivor67]

you should have done little Odessa, thats the best russian mafia movie ever

[@CecilWilloughby-wj7ou]

‘Eastern Promises’ is a masterpiece in truly a 5 star movie

[@demoremda]

good vid, bet you got plenty storys, would have loved to see your take on red heat

[@tommyt1971]

I read that Viggo met with a few vory v zakone gangsters in prison to learn a few things. One of them even gave him a set of worry beads he’d made out of Bic-type cigarette lighters.

[@desiv1170]

How could you not have him react to The Machine? ;-)

[@Zorro_619]

Awesome, please do Yakuza next !

[@Arkanthrall]

Already done.

[@maroldorn]

Worth to mention another good mini series: “The Boy’s word: Blood on the Asphalt”. Mini series released about year ago. About teenagers gangs in Kazan in 1980s.

[@Belnick6666]

Stle his car???? nooo, it was about the dog

[@bc-guy852]

Exceptionally well done! Obviously this 'Expert' is very experienced and his analysis seems very logical and flows easily. I think he really knows what he's talking about.

[@tommyt1971]

Nobody was the 1st movie I saw after theatres opened back up 2021 and it was the PERFECT flick after not seeing any for a year. Best part is Christopher Lloyd, he clearly had a blast doing that part.

[@kunzilla]

I was hoping that clips from The Machine would be included, even though it's a wacky comedy lol

[@OcarinaSapphr-]

In the first season of an Australian series called 'Underbelly'- based on real gangland history in Melbourne & Sydney, predominantly- there was a figure known as Nik 'The Russian' Radev, & yet he was actually Bulgarian - there was a scene where he joked that no one knows where Bulgaria is, but **everyone** knows Russia...

[@dengar1313]

This guy needs his own documentary.

[@WhatIsTheWheel]

That knife(Eastern Promises bath house) is just a random improvised weapon. It is a carpet/vinyl knife you can get at a hardware store for $10

[@jyripeltola5904]

To me the Russian and eastern european crime syndicates are by far the most interesting ones to me, outside my own country ofcourse.

[@mercilesspig]

Is there a crime syndicate in Finland?

[@kentgrady9226]

There is a chain of gas stations/convenience stores in my hometown. In the span of five years, they went from 3-4 store fronts to near ubiquity. I can't even guess how many locations they have. Many are within literal sight of each other. These stores not only sell fuel (almost always undercutting competition by a few cents per gallon) and the regular quickie mart sodas/beers/smokes - but also prepaid cellphones, glass pipes/hookahs, etc. They are owned by Kazakh and Azerbaijani immigrants, I believe. Definitely, former Soviet Republic, but not ethnic Russian. I have no direct knowledge of anything illegal or nefarious. If it were a simple mom and pop operation with a couple of storefronts, I would say that it's just the American immigrant dream at work. But, their quick rise, the slight but noticeable price advantage, and the slightly shady merchandising, all hint to me that there is something behind it. Maybe I'm wrong. I hope I am. I'm a sucker for a feel good immigrant story. But, their stores give me the creeps.

[@nikitasamt1254]

I would like to comment on bathhouse scene with Vigo. Typically, in prison, one would be armed with zatochka (a shiv). Usually it's sharpened toothbrush, sometimes melted with razor blade. It is not as dangerous as a real blade, but far easier to conceal and get your hands on inside prison.

[@erakfishfishfish]

The knives they’re using are linoleum knives. David Cronenberg didn’t want any guns in the movie, so he armed the hitmen with knives. He chose linoleum knives because if the hitmen were caught with the knives on them, they could just claim they’re linoleum cutters by trade and need them for work. (source: Film Comment, “Foreign Affairs: David Cronenberg talks about his strangely intimate new Russian mafia movie Eastern Promises and snuff films on the Internet”, from the September/October 2007 issue)

[@kyolicious]

In the 90s my school decided to participate in an exchange program to promote good will between Americans and Russians. I recall the teacher in charge saying that they all realized something was amiss when they arrived and their host families all had giant houses with indoor pools and such and such. I believe the following year they took steps to ensure a less mobby/more ordinary experience.

[@AntoineSojicYT]

Another series that features the russian mafia is Arrow, in where Oliver Queen is part of the Bratva. There are numerous clip, espcially in the fifth season that would be interresting to look at.

[@repost6917]

1:10 Интересно, по какой татуировке он подумал, что тот "сидел" в Сибири? )

[@damiaoalex2948]

Can you guys do next a video of a rugby player breaking down rugby films/series?

[@deckardcanine]

I was hoping for episodes of "Arrow."

[@DJ-iu5bb]

same like how he got to be a member and that got forgotten too

[@JpnhAbou]

So glad you reviewed Brat! I was wondering. It's nice to see you consume Russian media on this as well. A lot of interesting detective and crime shows.

[@MisterK-YT]

Can we ask him if Bert Kreischer’s “The Machine” story is real?

[@dunjica77]

"Brat" (Brother) one of the best movies. No glamour, no glitz, no romanticizing, just the dark, miserable truth of human existance.

[@mellistotheMAX]

17:50 "A hundred percent. Nine out of ten"

[@liamroarke7991]

Ever notice how every American cop's always like, "I'm the ONLY person to EVER successfully do *insert something here*"??

[@Ravishrex1]

Everything is a record or has to be over the top.

[@budalabudo2250]

Baba Yaga (Baba Roga) is Slavica folklor, not limited to just Ukraine and Russia.

[@brose2323]

Honorable mention to Russian crime boss in Space. Adlai Nichka in the Firefly series.

[@4X10S]

There was interview with some Italian Mafioso where he was asked about Russians, he said: These are the most punctual people I have met. And indeed in Russia it's considered to be rude to be late or to not hold your word. So when they make threats you should know they're real, they're not just trying to scare you, they're bluntly telling you what is going to happen.

[@simoner1661]

I'm disappointed to see no clip from "Danko"...

[@benjamingamache6441]

...I hope he covers eastern promises

[@Dante1666666]

Wkat you thing about "Educazione siberiana movie with John Malkovich?

[@ЯАга-я4л]

I think I know the movie you talk about, is it the one where main character's name was Kolima and he had a friend named Gagarin? If that's the one, it's about as realistic as Commando.

[@siarheishauchenka4991]

That's was a good expertise.

[@joaopedrooliveira7568]

They could've put the scene of the show Arrow where Oliver Queen and his ally Anatoly Knyazev during the 5th season episode 17 Kapiushon explaining certain things about the Bratva and the agent confirming if they are legit. But neverthless, good video

[@kentallard8852]

@3:50 that's a linoleum knife it is a very ordinary workman's blade

[@ashenmoonclash]

Insanely a childhood friend had a cousin that got caught up in a Russian fight syndicate in the U.S. 20 or so years ago. Was a 6 foot tall farmboy that weighed 160 dripping wet and then they gave him steroids. Didn't see him for a few years and then Timmy was damn near 250 scary looking as f with scars eveywhere..

[@h1inc816]

I am disappointed they didn't show Grigor from Showtimes Billions

[@Solder-of-Empire]

He is really good specialist on Russian mafia.

[@skejter33]

No one's going to mention the Russian mr. Bean guy at 7:55?

[@nataliamakhova7367]

I just love how good Russian pronunciation of Joe Serio is! Can he star in movies instead of others, who can't master pronunciation.

[@MlTGLIED]

I approve it 👍🏼

[@Ze1oSs]

its not any good, dont confuse people

[@user-rl6nk9sh7i]

Ну льстить не надо уж человеку)

[@wladius]

I love the John Wick series, but the translation from "Baba Yaga" to Boogyman irks me every time.

[@albval7778]

its not a translation word for word but the americans dont have a counterpart for baba yaga the closest would be the boogeyman as in the mithical being used in stories to scare children not to go into the forest or wallk outside at night... whatever translation for movies and tv series isnt always word for word because the sentences and meaning have no counterpart in the 2nd language a good translator does alot more especially in jargon like talk

[@wladius]

​@@albval7778 Closest translation to Baba Yaga (or Baba Jaga or Ježibaba in my language) would be Witch or Hag - an old ugly evil woman who lives in the forrest in a hut with a black cat, bats, snakes, ..., practices black magic and steals and eats children (correctly mentioned in the video). But the bogeyman is literally "Strašidlo" in my language (don't know the Russian/Ukrainian ekvivalent) - a mythical being, something that usually scares children (ghosts, poltergeists, other supernatural entities ...). I know translations are tough, but to someone who grew up on slavic folklore and is decently proficient in English, this mistranslation really stands out.

[@ЯАга-я4л]

​​@@albval7778I heard it's the opposite, they originally were going for Babayka, which is very close to what Boogieman is, but it was lost in edit or sth. Tbf Baba Yaga us way more specific and terrifying entity, being called Babayka in Russian wouldn't have much gravity. Honestly, the better alias for John Wick would be Koschei, an unkillable lich-king, the ultimate BBEG of Russian fairy tales.

[@tommyt1971]

This guy should, just for fun, do an analysis of those DirectTV ads with that guy playing the Russian-type gangster.

[@clifffff7630]

The blades in the shower scene are knives used by carpenters, cobblers and the like. Why carry an exotic 12 inch blade made of Damascus Steel, bearing your initials l, when you could get the job done with such an ordinary but effective substitute? And if you get stopped by a copper on the street and searched, it is much easier to explain it away...

[@GeoZeppelin1979]

you missed Person Of Interest the whole Elias vs Yogoroff saga

[@The3LeggedRussian]

This dude is the real deal!!! When he gave a 10 out of 10 to “Brat” & mention “Brigada” - I knew this guy was certified!!

[@BigBear--]

Yep! Those are definitely deep cuts for a non-russian to know about. Wonder if he ever checked out Banditsky Peterburg? It's another great series on organized crime, though also from the law enforcement perspective. While it's fantasy, it still had a lot of great moments, and somewhat realistic scenarios, characters, concepts, etc.

[@TheDocV627]

i think this is the first How Real Is It video ive seen that the ratings were generally above 5

[@touhoutrash2436]

Seeing John wick made me instantly click the video!

[@amberhoward7807]

Confirming what we all pretty much knew is crazy though... and feels even more dangerous now that it is out in the open.... Never trust the government. They are all involved with that stuff.... Scary.... I think that's what I like most about Mob shows and movies.... the game of it all. Action is cool and stuff, but the game that is played by all parties is wild to see as it is what is really going on.