The Banishment

In the opening scene, Mark arrives at Alex's house to have a bullet removed from his arm. Mark is wary of going to a hospital because of his criminal affiliations, fearing police attention. Alex tends to the wound and keeps the situation private, avoiding public hospital involvement.

After Mark recovers, Alex takes Vera and their two children to his childhood countryside home. The trip offers a fragile moment of peace that is soon shadowed by Vera's news. The family tries to maintain appearances for visiting old friends and for the children.

During the countryside visit Vera tells Alex she is pregnant, but that the baby is not his. The revelation widens the rift between them and stirs guilt and doubt. They still attempt to present a united front to their children and to guests.

On the way to meet Mark at the train station, Kir reveals that their young friend Robert was at Alex's house while Alex was away. Alex deduces that Robert could be the baby's father. This knowledge deepens his sense of betrayal and complicates his decisions.

Vera feels estranged from Alex and fears that Kir will follow them into the criminal life. The fear underscores the fragility of their family unit and the pressure of surrounding gossip begins to mount.

Alex pressures Vera to terminate the pregnancy, hoping to salvage the marriage. He uses Mark's criminal connections to arrange a doctor who will perform the abortion at their own house. The intimate home setting makes the procedure feel immediate and perilous.

Following the abortion, Vera overdoses on pain-relieving medication and dies. The tragedy sends shockwaves through the country village as gossip spreads. Alex and Mark begin funeral arrangements while grappling with their own guilt.

Alex and Mark rush the funeral arrangements as rumors swirl through the countryside. After returning from the funeral parlour, Mark suffers a heart attack and dies shortly after. The community mourns as the brothers confront the consequences of their choices.

Alex returns to the city alone and goes to Robert's house with the intention of killing him. He falls asleep in his car outside, is awakened by Robert, and is invited in. As he reaches for a gun in the glove box, he discovers an envelope with Vera's pregnancy test results and a note from Vera on the back.

The film cuts to a flashback showing Robert visiting Alex's home while he was away. This memory hints at the closeness between Robert and the family and foreshadows the pregnancy link. It broadens the web of relationships surrounding Vera and the baby.

In another flashback, Vera attempts suicide by overdosing but is saved by Robert. This incident triggers a chain of revelations that culminate in Vera confiding more about her pregnancy. The rescue event marks a turning point in their complicated dynamic.

Vera reveals to Robert that she is pregnant and that the baby is more likely Alex's, though she questions whether there was an affair at all. She expresses fear about having another child in a relationship strained by lack of communication. The revelation further complicates the moral landscape for all involved.