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Så som i himmelen (2004)
So Much Happy
Kay Pollack's sometimes annoyingly uplifting moralistic film, "As It Is in Heaven", shows the story of a man returning to his hometown marked by his own sad memories of his childhood. Daniel Darius, played by Michael Nyqvist, is an extremely successful and gifted conductor, composer, and musician but is forced to question his career after a serious health scare. Daniel moves back to his hometown and is coerced into listening to a local choir, despite his protests. He eventually concedes to directing and teaching the choir once he discovers an interest in one of the choir members.
The influence of religion is heavy and rather obvious in this film. The choir is a church choir that sings religious songs, both in Swedish and English. There are moralistic themes in the storyline such as: believing in oneself, finding ones voice, going on despite the odds, etc. The fact that the main character, Daniel Darius, is shown to have risen from oppression into excellence and to have overcome odds propels him to some sort of Christ figure. If Pollack had intended to make any subtle comparisons or similarities to religion, he failed miserably. In a bit of an interesting contrast, Pollack also highlights violence, specifically violence perpetuated by men who are supposed leaders of their church or family. Conny, played by Per Morberg, is Daniel's childhood bully who has stayed in their hometown and married a woman whom he controls in almost every aspect beats his wife and Daniel when he is displeased. Also, the pastor, Stig played by Niklas Falk, turns to violent actions against his wife Inger, played by Ingela Olsson when she displays questionable actions in his view. It is difficult to understand why Pollack included this violence alongside the more moralistic and holy religious themes especially given the fact that the pastor is involved in this violence. So it almost seems as if Pollack is supporting spirituality and religion but not the hierarchical nature and old rules of the church.
Stemming from this strange side by side comparison of religion and violence, the idea of hypocrisy is shown through the entire film. Going back to Stig, the pastor, it is revealed to the viewer that he hides pornographic magazines in his house for his own sexual pleasure, and his wife knows of this but doesn't acknowledge it until a key point in their relationship. So while he claims to be this holy man, he is just as weak to sexual pleasures as any regular person, and instead of acknowledging this, he chooses to hide it and make himself a hypocrite. Towards the beginning of the film, it is shown how Daniel lives and breathes his music, which is the love of his life. Once he moves to his hometown, he initially refuses to help a choir who only wants to live and breathe their own music. It seems that Daniel understood what a hypocritical stance this was and decided to help the choir (it also helped that a beautiful woman was a member in the choir, but I'd rather give Daniel a bit more credit than that).
Now as to why I am only giving this film a five out of ten. I do not enjoy films that hit a viewer over the head with the intended theme or moral of the story. This is purely personal preference when it comes down to it, but I'd rather have a very open film that has many interpretations than a very closed one with a very intended result. It may be more approachable to more viewers because of how easy the meaning of the story is to grasp, but I'd like to think that I am not a normal, ignorant film-goer. This just wasn't a sophisticated plot that made me think. Nonetheless, Michael Nyqvist did a wonderful acting as Daniel Darius and his wide range of emotions, but even a good actor cannot save a movie like this one.
"As It Is in Heaven" most definitely had an agenda in its storyline, not that that is generally a bad thing, but how Pollack went about doing it made it too redundant for my taste. Although there were some interesting contrasts between religion, violence and hypocrisy, it did not feel as though those contrasts were as developed as they could be to make this film more thought provoking and profound. The film was most definitely intended to be uplifting and "warm fuzzy"-inducing, but rather I felt more annoyed than anything after the film ended.
Efter brylluppet (2006)
A Philanthropic Drama
This close to reality drama directed by Susanne Bier tells the story of a Danish orphanage manager, Jacob, who is requested by a wealthy Danish citizen to leave Bombay, India and the kids he has become so close with only to return to Denmark to discuss the possibility of funding. This wealthy citizen, Jorgen, provides the best accommodations for Jacob and even ends up inviting Jacob to his daughter's wedding. It seems out of sheer chance that Jacob runs into a woman, Helene, with whom he had a romance with 20 years ago, and she also happens to be Jorgen's wife and the mother of the bride. The bride, Anna, consequently makes a speech during the dinner that confesses although Jorgen is not her biological father, he has been present for her entire life and has supported her dreams. Jacob immediately realizes there is a big chance Anna is his daughter. After Helene's confirmation, Jacob begins to get to know his daughter while Jorgen seemingly stalls the funding process for the orphanage. We soon find out exactly what Jorgen's intentions have been all along.
I give this film such a high score in regards to stars because of the purity and realistic nature of the acting. The plot and story even felt as though it could have been taken from real events. Mads Mikkelson (Jacob), Rolf Lassgard (Jorgen), Sidse Babett Knudsen (Helene), and Stine Fisher Christiansen (Anna) all provide performances that are credible and subtle. The acting found in this film is not acting that would be found in the typical Hollywood film where over-the-top is generally celebrated.
The theme of fidelity and infidelity is visited many times in After the Wedding. 20 years prior to the time this film takes place during, Jacob cheats on Helene, which resulted in her leaving him. Mirroring the circumstances of her mother 20 years prior, Anna walks in on her new husband having sex with a friend of hers. We see the devastation that Anna goes through as well as the devastation that Helene remembers from 20 years ago. The only faithful man in this film (among the main characters) is Jorgen, who ends up sacrificing himself somewhat in order to provide the best life for his family after he is gone.
As for cinematic techniques, or rather themes, there were countless extreme close ups of eyes. Not just eyes of living characters, but also of mounted taxidermy animals on the walls of Jorgen's house. It is entirely possible that these close ups are used to show the deep emotions that are being felt by these characters, but why the taxidermy animal eyes? It may be an image that connects both life and death, which is what Jorgen is struggling with. It could also be more literal in the fact that eyes are always watching a person and their actions. This still remains a mystery to me, however.
Philanthropy and the good will of people come through this film as well. Jacob was originally a free-spirited drunk which is referred to many times, but it seems as though his philanthropic deeds have saved his life (as well as others). The children at the orphanage and those that work there are portrayed as being good, honest, humble people that are not tainted by drama. The children are a symbol for all that is innocent in comparison to the themes of infidelity and non-truths by the Danish characters.
After the Wedding is a fresh look at the differences between the haves and the have nots of society and the problems that plague each of them. As Jorgen leaves this world, he gives his money to those that need it in addition to taking care of his family. Towards the beginning of the film, Jorgen doesn't actually consider the reasoning to donating his money other than to bring Jacob to Denmark. Towards the end of the film, the viewer is able to see Jorgen realize how precious life is when he breaks down into the arms of his wife on his birthday in their bedroom. It can be seen that Jorgen only then truly understood the value of life and of the life he has given to have nots in India. He pleads and doesn't want to die, but I do think it is at that moment he accepts his fate. Through his death, many, many children were able to live their lives in a stable environment away from the kind of dramas the family faced through the film.
Mies vailla menneisyyttä (2002)
Intense, Stressful, Drama-Filled Film
A subtle piece of artwork by Aki Kaurismäki, The Man Without a Past, tugs at the heartstrings of viewers with its simplistic and good nature. After being beaten severely, "M", the main character played by stone-faced Markku Peltola, wakes in a hospital with no knowledge of his life beforehand. He is essentially rescued by a small, poverty-ridden family who helps regain his health in order for him to start his life over again. In starting this new life, he meets a Salvation Army worker by the name of "Irma", played by Kati Outinen, who initially helps him and with whom he immediately feels a comradery with; the two eventually start seeing each other. After being witness to a bank robbery, "M", is confronted by police when he refuses to give personal information under the reasoning of amnesia. The police start looking into his identity and find his lack of involvement in the robbery as well as people from his past.
The theme of isolation and abandonment is prevalent throughout the film. The main characters memory has essentially abandoned him and because of this, he is isolated from his past and he must start over again. He is also isolated from the majority of society because of the fact that he must begin his new life in abject poverty. One of the first things he is able to do is rent a place to live and he spends time cleaning it; essentially clearing the slate for his new life. Besides pure hard work, how does "M" continue on in his new life? The only reason "M" becomes a success story is because of the kindness of others who give "M" opportunities without asking for much, if anything, in return. The biggest example of the kind-heartedness in this film is Irma and the work she does with the Salvation Army. It is important to not ignore the fact that the Salvation Army is affiliated with Christian values and ideals. These Christian values can be attributed to most characters in this film. And contrary to other Nordic films, there is no sex whatsoever in The Man Without A Past. This is definitely something that could be attributed to the Christian moral compass we see in the film.
Although there are strong Christian themes in the film, there are also strong undertones of humor. This is a very different kind of humor. It is a humor that would not be successful to American audiences. The characters rarely change facial expression or voice intonation, but along with this, very witty, humorous things are said constantly. This would be considered very dry humor or even deadpan humor. It comes off as very subtle and a viewer may not understand its intent towards the beginning of the film. However, by the time the idea of the sweetheart of a female dog named "Hannibal" who may tear oneself to shreds is introduced, the humor is well established and becomes more manageable to viewers. The humor is never overt which puts a genuine smile on one's face.
Over the hour and a half the film takes place in, we must notice how slow developing and simple the plot or story is. We simply follow the story of one man and his attempt to begin a new life. We see various situations he is put into and various people he meets, however, we never are troubled with intersecting story lines of different characters. The audience just follows "M" and his struggles. While the story develops, many different things happen such as a new rock band is formed and the viewer is expected to just accept the new happenings rather than question them. The question of, "why?" is not an issue. Why is the new rock band formed? Just because it is.
The Man Without A Past is a truly delightful and genuine comedic drama that shows a simple idea and story can be just as engaging as the most complicated of stories. The film highlights the good nature of simple people who truly feel the need to help the main character begin his life anew. Although the humor may be lost to some, especially American audiences, it breaks up the depressing difficulties "M" must deal with in his new life. As vicious as "Hannibal's" owner makes "Hannibal" seem, the dog really puts a light in "M's" eyes for the first time in the film and us as the audience root for him to succeed from that point on.
Elling (2001)
Simple and Authentic, Elling Makes You Smile
A simple film of simple people with simple intentions, Elling (2001), a Petter Naess film, portrays a pair finding their way through the welfare state of Norway. An authentic focus on the lives of these two men with mental illness grabs sympathy from the audience as they watch the everyday struggles of Elling (Per Christian Ellefsen) and Kjell Bjarne (Sven Nordin). After living the majority of his life with his mother, her unexpected death cripples Elling and his psyche, and we see Elling being forced out of a closet he had been hiding in by the Norway welfare people for his own good will. Elling meets his roommate, Kjell Bjarne who obsesses over the sexy stories Elling tells him. Eventually, the pair find themselves living in a big city welfare apartment provided for them by the Norwegian government. It is here that they build a relationship with their social worker, Frank Asli (Jorgen Langhelle) as they try living day to day life.
The topic of mental illness is central to this film, as the two main characters had the Norwegian government intervene in their lives because they were unsuitable to live on their own. Naess chooses to not include the actual diagnoses of each character because he felt that including a clinical diagnosis for each character would dehumanize them. This choice is extremely effective in translating a very likable nature behind the pair no matter their psychological differences. Although, Naess had good intentions of making the two very likable in spite of their mental illness, it also may translate to the audience that all people with mental illness are such simple, good natured, likable people that must be taken care of by their respective state governments. Nonetheless, the simplicity of these two characters definitely grab at the audiences' heartstrings.
The character of Elling is a staunch Labour Party supporter and Gro Harlem Brundtland enthusiast which is a major theme throughout the film. Once the unlikely pair move into their government housing, Elling insists on putting an almost angelic photograph of Gro Harlem Brundtland (a major supporter of the welfare state in Norway) in a prominent spot on their dining area wall. Elling has idealized Gro Harlem Brundtland so much that he constantly reads about her and almost substitutes her for his mother and for those who are taking care of him. Such strong support by Elling for this Party can be seen in political disagreements that he has with his new friends at a cabin where he truly believes everything the Labour Party has done is right and true. The viewer may question if Elling clung to this idealism once he could no longer cling to his mother
What seems to draw Elling out of his neurotic rut is the opportunity for new friendship and even family. Kjell Bjarne, no matter how different he is in personality, and Elling demonstrate their friendship when giving each other gifts on Christmas. They both pick something that is truly perfectly inherent to the others personality and this moment is one of the most meaningful and precious of the entire movie, granted Kjell's present was a nude woman on a watch! Elling and Kjell Bjarne provide each other with exactly what each other needs to balance out, which seems to be why the pair is so successful in living on their own and really creating their own family.
For such a simple pair of characters, Naess provides a simple amount of locations for scenes. A large amount of the film takes place in the government provided housing that Elling is afraid to leave. Once Elling begins to shed some of his anxieties, we see both Elling and Kjell Bjarne in different places with different people such as a poetry house, cabin, or friends' apartment. Simple cinematic techniques are used as well to compliment the simple characters. The use of voice-over provides extra detail if needed that may not be interpreted from a scene. Besides this technique, there seems to be no flashy devices like those in Hollywood that catch a viewers' attention. But rather, the viewer is able to focus on the characters and their likability and simplistic nature.
The film, Elling (2001), is an uplifting story with authentic characters that develop through being forced into the "real world" essentially. There are no hidden things to get from this film, as it is upfront and simple and only wants to provide the story of an unlikely pair coming together to form their own family.