Reviews

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** A warm and big hearted comedy, with poignant, bittersweet overtones.

Set in a Swedish commune of hippies in the 1970's, the 'Together collective' is a group of political idealists who wish to reject the bourgeois values of modern society. Naturally the socialist utopia begins to break down as the reality of the traditional conventions of human nature creep in.

Goran, a leading member of the collective, brings his sister Elisabeth and her two children to stay at the commune when she leaves her abusive and alcoholic husband. Initally pretty bewildered by the bizarre environment she finds herself in, she begins to enjoy her new life after being befriended by Anna, a member of the commune who, according to her ex-husband Lasse, has decided to become a lesbian for 'political reasons'.

Lasse is in turn being pursued by Klas, a naive homosexual, and Lena, Goran's girlfriend, is also sleeping with Erik, the rich man's son who has rejected his background to become a welder - a job at which he does not excel - and is the most ardently political member of the collective. Whilst Goran and Lena practice an 'open relationship', Goran ultimately struggles and finally cracks in one of the most climactic scenes of the film.

Director Moodysson shows his brilliant understanding of childhood in his portrayal of the budding relationship between Eva, the teenage daughter of Elisabeth, and Frederik, the son of an uptight middle class family who live across the street. Both loners who don't have any friends at school, they bond through the discovery that they both have bad eyesight and slowly become friends. The pain of adolescence, sexual naivety and acute awkardness is captured here perfectly.

Conflict in the house soon ensues when the rejected conventions begin to creep in - Goran and Lasse buy a TV for the kids to watch, the kids picket for meat and begin to play with Lego. Two members leave in disgust to join the rival commune ' Mother Earth', and Erik leaves, full of disappointment with what he sees as the political apathy of the house.

Despite the problems at the collective, it's warmth and love is illustrated in the contrast with the loneliness of Elisabeth's abandoned husband. He initially drowns his sorrows with yet more alcohol, but is shocked into repentance after a disastrous night out with his children when he gets drunk and is eventually arrested. A plumber, he meets another man who's wife has also left him, and is so lonely he calls him out to fix a non-existent toilet purely for someone to talk to.

Eventually the film ends on a feelgood note, but of course as viewers from the 21st century we know that this particular brand of idealism is approaching it's sell by date. However, while this is really a film about the conflict of individuality versus the complexity of family and community, it never judges or damns, it simply observes.

Moodysson treats the era with a wry sense of humour without actually laughing at it, and lets the plot gently unfold with a deft hand. An extremely intelligent piece, the acting is impeccable throughout.

Highly recommended.

**SPOILERS**

Three cheers to Peter Mullan for telling this story.

Yet another filthy and disgusting aspect of the sordid history of the Catholic Church comes to light. In Ireland many young women who were seen as 'wayward' and 'impure' are sent away and imprisoned in Catholic laundries to repent their 'sins' and cleanse their souls. Run by bullying Nuns who brutalise the girls both physically and mentally there was little chance of escape for those who were sent there, and indeed many women spent their entire lives in these laundries.

This film tells the stories of three young women who are sent to a Magdalene Asylum. Margaret is raped by her cousin at a family wedding but is obviously seen as being a liability to her family. Rose has had a baby out of wedlock, and is sent to the convent in disgrace after being forced by her parents and local priest to give up her son for adoption. Bernadette is in an orphanage and flirts with the local boys, much to the concern of those who run the institution. Once there we also meet Crispina, an unfortunate and simple minded soul who is brilliantly played by Eileen Walsh.

The bulk of the story focuses on the tedium and brutality of the daily regime, and hopelessness of the situation the girls are in. The Nuns are cruel, hypocritical and corrupt. The priest is no better and takes advantage of his position.

I think the film also shows, quite well, how this kind of system so easily institutionalises the people in these kind of situations - captors as well as captives. In one scene Margaret finds a gate carelessly left open. She can escape, unseen, but chooses not to. She is almost too afraid to leave the asylum.

We eventually see a triumphant ending for a couple of the girls, and a tragic ending for another as she is sent away to a madhouse to keep her from telling tales. This is one of the most harrowing scenes in the film, and stayed with me long after I had seen it. However, what hurt the most is the knowledge that despite the escape of two girls, many more were left with no hope of any release whatsoever.

This film is well written, well acted and very well shot. At times the pace is slightly laboured and ponderous, with a couple of very heavy handed scenes which could have used a lighter touch - the same effect would have been achieved. All in all though this is very highly recommended.