The Saratov Approach2013
The Saratov Approach (2013)
The Saratov Approach Photos
Movie Info
Watch it now
Cast
as Tuttle
as Propst
as Nikolai
as Sergei
as Mary Propst
as Lee Propst
as Donna Tuttle
as Roy Tuttle
as Mark Larsen
as Senator Smith
as Agent Ross
as Agent Miller
as Agent Garza
as Agent Bair
as News Anchor
as News Anchor
as Karl
as Vladdy
as Saratov Branch President
as Saratov Branch President's Wife
as Saratov Directions Neighbor
as Russian Drunk
as Russian Truck Driver
as Russian Passenger
as Saratov Couple on Wall
as Saratov Couple On Wall
as Saratov Neighbor
as Saratov Neighbor
as Saratov Street Contacts
as Saratov Street Contacts
as Saratov Street Contact
as Saratov Street Contacts
as Saratov Street Contacts
as Saratov Street Contacts
as English Students/Saratov Congregation
as English Students/Saratov Congregation
as English Students/Saratov Congregation
as English Students/Saratov Congregation
as English Students/Saratov Congregation
as English Students/Saratov Congregation
as English Students/Saratov Congregation
as English Students/Saratov Congregation
as English Students/Saratov Congregation
as English Students/Saratov Congregation
as English Students/Saratov Congregation
as Church Goer
as Church Goer
as Church Goer
as Church Goer
as Propst Supporter
as Propst Supporter
as Propst Supporter
as Propst Supporter
as Propst Supporter
as Propst Supporter
as Field Reporter
as News Camerman
as Melchizedek Priesthood Holder
as Yellow Ribbon Youth
as Yellow Ribbon Youth
as Yellow Ribbon Youth
as Yellow Ribbon Youth
as Yellow Ribbon Youth
as Yellow Ribbon Youth
as Airport Traveler
as Airport Traveler
as Airport Traveler
as Airport Traveler
as Airport Traveler
Critic Reviews for The Saratov Approach
All Critics (5) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (3) | Rotten (2)
Uneven acting, some trite dialogue and several overplayed emotional beats flatten instead of round out the storytelling here.
The final result is suspenseful, faith-promoting and very entertaining.
There's not as much suspense as the premise suggests, thanks to a bloated middle section that's more concerned with religious reflection than practical negotiation.
In so many ways the film would be more interesting if it were more ambitious, but on its own terms it is surprisingly strong.
A riveting tale that affirms the faith of the already converted without insulting the intelligence of the skeptic who primarily wants a high-caliber movie.
Audience Reviews for The Saratov Approach
Might have a bit too much of a religious slant for some folks, but I still found the true life story of Mormon Missionaries kidnapped in Russia to be compelling, thrilling and touching.
Super Reviewer
This dramatic thriller was all about religion, and if you are a non-believer, simply skip it! Written and directed by Garrett Batty it stars Corbin Allred, Maclain Nelson, Nikita Bogolyubov and Alex Veadov. The movie is about the 1998 kidnapping of the two Mormon missionaries, Andrew Lee Propst and Travis Robert Tuttle in Saratov, Russia. The kidnappers wanted US$300,000 ransom from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but nobody wanted to pay the ransom for different reasons. For five days the two missionaries were handcuffed and held captive in a small room. When no ransom materialized, the men were driven to a field and released. Doesn't sound too exciting, especially when we all know the outcome of the story... but, there was suspense in the movie, excitement, and very believable acts and results of the faith of the young men. At the time, this event was a significant international incident, but the director wisely chooses to focus its time on the missionaries and their captors. Some blamed a limited budget for it, but the important story really is what is happening within that relationship where they both slowly make their way through a barrage of emotions, confronting fears of their captors and their own mortality, and slowly coming to understand the role their faith will play in their predicament. Please, do not dismiss this movie because it falls into the category of Mormon cinema, and the well-tread subcategory of missionary movies that is so prominent within it. Check it out and you will see that director Garrett Batty's effort is very solid. I didn't like the hand-held camera work and the intense original soundtrack, but the locals from The Salt Lake Tribune praised the film. Some of the scenes were not very impressive, they were executed rather like a routine, but they are countered by most of the emotional scenes of Allred and Nelson re-creating those days of captivity. Not a bad viewing!
Super Reviewer
The Saratov Approach Quotes
There are no approved quotes yet for this movie.