I was almost shocked when I heard that this movie was selected as the Swedish entry for the Academy awards. This movie really is a portrait of its time. I sat through the screening for two hours and felt a little disgusted that I paid the price of the ticket.
The movie really tries to depict your "typical" family father Tomas that works to much, has little interest in his wife and kids, can't show any emotions, and runs away as soon as he gets in danger. During the last few years Sweden has had a major social debate around gender roles and especially male gender roles, and the "macho-culture". It really shows in this movie! Even with a slightly interesting story about a man learning not to take things for granted in his life, the movie just feels like a two-hour rant at the "modern man" Tomas who should feel so bad about himself. He thinks he is so good with his successful job but he is nothing more than a coward, that really the boiled down message of this film.
And it's not even two good hours, no! You have a minute long scene with the whole family brushing their teeth, nothing else! No dialog, no interaction. Half the shots are stationary, distant shots. You can't help getting the feeling of shouting "Just cut already". An emotional drama does not need to have action-film type camera style, it looks so much better with calm camera work. But this movie sometimes feel like they forgot to turn off the camera in between takes, and then that footage just happened to get leads to the great avalanche suspense that the movie builds around feels extremely anti-climactic.
Unless you have a major in gender studies, the concentration span of a mentally challenged sloth, or you suffer from insomnia, stay away from this movie!
The movie really tries to depict your "typical" family father Tomas that works to much, has little interest in his wife and kids, can't show any emotions, and runs away as soon as he gets in danger. During the last few years Sweden has had a major social debate around gender roles and especially male gender roles, and the "macho-culture". It really shows in this movie! Even with a slightly interesting story about a man learning not to take things for granted in his life, the movie just feels like a two-hour rant at the "modern man" Tomas who should feel so bad about himself. He thinks he is so good with his successful job but he is nothing more than a coward, that really the boiled down message of this film.
And it's not even two good hours, no! You have a minute long scene with the whole family brushing their teeth, nothing else! No dialog, no interaction. Half the shots are stationary, distant shots. You can't help getting the feeling of shouting "Just cut already". An emotional drama does not need to have action-film type camera style, it looks so much better with calm camera work. But this movie sometimes feel like they forgot to turn off the camera in between takes, and then that footage just happened to get leads to the great avalanche suspense that the movie builds around feels extremely anti-climactic.
Unless you have a major in gender studies, the concentration span of a mentally challenged sloth, or you suffer from insomnia, stay away from this movie!