January 25, 2012

Låt den rätte komma in (Sweden 2008)

"Let the right one in" is a film full of contradictions. Tender yet brutal, beautiful yet gritty, realistic yet supernatural. Like many other great films, it is also not immediately classifiable in any common genre. Is it a vampire/horror movie, a slice of social realism or a coming-of-age film? Probably a little bit of everything but for me it is mostly a sublimely touching love story between two lonely outsiders. But if it is then it is a love story for people who don't like love stories just as it is a horror movie for people who don't like horror movies.

The film is directed with delicate empathy by Swedish director Tomas Alfredson. It seems implausible that he mostly worked for Swedish Television before this film since "Let the right one in" is so cinematic. There are some shocking scenes but the director is careful not to overdo it. To the dismay of some readers of the original novel, the hints on pedophilia that were much more present in the source, have been toned down. But since the novel's author John Ajvide Lindquist also wrote the screenplay, we can assume that he is perfectly fine with it. And the film proves that the open dealing with such dark subjects is not necessary anyway: under Alfredson's subtle direction, we can already sense that there is something wrong in a society that is constructed around the dominance of the alpha male.

The music in the film is extraordinarily beautiful - it is no coincidence that composer Johan Söderqvist is credited right after the director. It further enhances the atmosphere already created by the brilliant use of bleak winterly locations in and around Stockholm. The performances by the two young leads are great too. They both display a vulnerability while also hiding a latent violence under the innocent surface. It says a lot that the human boy and the vampire girl are essentially treated as equals. The female may - as always - be the stronger one but is the boy who acts out the violence by choice and not by destiny. In this world - the films seems to suggest - everyone needs to be a vampire to survive.

"Let the right one in" is a unique, extraordinary and incredibly touching film. It is a bittersweet tale of loneliness and alienation that transcends genre limitations to become something greater.

9/10

To die for: Lina Leandersson as "Eli"

January 12, 2012

The Ides of March (USA 2011)

A film is not the sum of its elements. "The Ides of March" has a sharp script, great actors and is quite entertaining. However, it is still "only" a good movie, not a great one. The primary reason for this is that George Clooney's film about the US pre-elections does not really reveal anything new. Or did you not know before that politicians tend to have a weakness for pretty interns, young career types get it all while the "good" guys finish last? And most of us already sensed that politics is a dirty business...

Nevertheless "The Ides of March"is one of the better American films of recent times. It is a captivating behind-the-scenes look on politics. George Clooney, himself supporter of the Democratic party and president Obama, again shows his keen sense for the subject matter after "Good Night, and Good Luck". And it is remarkably how he manages his double identity between smiling movie star and deadly serious filmmaker without an image loss in either one of his personas.

As a director he may not be an artist but a solid craftsman but his experience as an actor certainly helps with the casting of his fellow actors. And "The Ides of March" is mostly an actor's film which reunites the most talented American actors of different generations (Evan Rachel Wood, Max Minghella, Ryan Gosling, Marisa Tomei, Paul Giamatti, Philipp Seymour Hoffman). But contrary to Hollywood's common practice they have been cast here not just because of their famous names and talent but because they actually fit for their respective roles. And Clooney himself is so convincing as the candidate that some viewers might wish that he would run for office in reality. He probably would not do much worse than his former colleague Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"The Ides of March" also poses an interesting question: is it even possible to stay true to one's ideals in the battlefield of politics? If one considers the cynical final image of the film, the answer seems to be "no".

Because of this pessimistic message nobody will accuse Clooney of campaigning for the Democrats or any other political party. But this clinical approach may be the reason why the authentic film lacks emotions. The same goes for the mise-en-scène which mostly sticks to Hollywood conventions.

Sort of a conservative film from a liberal director.

8/10

In no one we trust