Spoiler Alert
Although the initial moments of the movie Stinker (originally titled Sasyq) introduce a vino, Sadyk Ospanovich (Dulyga Akmolda), absolutely hammered and laid out in a field, this setup is perfect. When he walks out onto the highway, the abrupt ending may well shock. That’s because of the fake credit sequence. But the story does not end there. Maybe what that’s supposed to mean is that he’s imagining the rest of the film. Until I get to interview writer and director Yerden Telemissov, I won’t know.
What follows is a quietly powerful story of loneliness and acceptance. In his small Kazakh village, Sadyk is a harmless drifter. After the death of his wife, he’s without purpose. He’s given up on life, and locals are used to his presence. But lateone night, everything changes. He witnesses a UFO making erratic moves and it soon crashes! Although the wreckage and mention of gets swept under the rug and nobody wants to talk, this individual finds meaning by taking care of the alien (Chingiz Kapin).
Their bond is rather unusual. Both yearning for a connection. I doubt this relationship is like the one in E.T. The Extraterrestrial. Instead, I see this presentation as a tale about bridging worlds together.
