Weißer, weißer Tag

My partner & I are obsessive Icelandic fans - and absorb most of the culture there that we can get our hands on. Most film & TV that manage to get this far are surprisingly bleak and Hvítur dagur is no exception.

The film is a rather dry tale of one man's descent and journey through grief with some arresting visuals and an unexpectedly, almost avant, presentation. The lilting drift between stark reality and implied fantasy isn't particularly well defined (intentionally enigmatic rather) - leaving the potentially enlightening ending as a dull thud for me. The draw here is the particularly strong lead performance (Ingvar Sigurðsson, playing a very different type of tragic character than he did in Ófærð) and as always, the biggest star of any Icelandic film, the stunningly monumental and ever-changing countryside.

The opening frames of Hlynur Palmason's movie "A White, White Day" conveys weather and landscape in a way very few movies have. It's clear seasons and time are passing in a dizzying, almost disorientating, fashion so when people finally appear, (an elderly man and his granddaughter), they feel as if they shouldn't be here and when we move indoors, it's like a alien place, particularly as there is a horse in the living room. And then it's back to more of the same, images of a landscape, but now with people occasionally appearing at a distance..

In part an intimate psychological study of its central character, Ingimundur, (a superb, award-winning performance from Ingvar Sigurdsson), and in part a study of the harsh environment in which he lives, Palmason's film is a visually stunning and often relentless 'thriller', dealing with the themes of grief, jealousy and revenge. It's also the kind of film that clearly belongs in the Northern Hemisphere where nature at its least forgiving determines both the landscape and the character of its inhabitants. You could say Ingimundur is the way he is becasue of his environment.

The plot evolves slowly yet inexorably with dialogue kept to a minimum. As a thriller it reminded me of the television series "True Detective" which certainly took its time and wasn't really concerned with resolving issues; the pace here is decidedly languorous and the film is open-ended. A huge hit on the festival circuit and the Icelandic entry for the Oscars, it should also prove very popular with art-house audiences.

Arthouse, slow burn, slow pace - all those things are correct to say the least. And depending on the amount of slack you are willing to cut it ... you will be able to enjoy this on different levels. It really takes more than a while to go ... well "off". But when it does (towards the end) ... there is more than just a little impact to it.

The main actor gives it his all. Whether it is a powerful scene or one that is as subtle as it gets. Add to that a child actor who is amazing as well and you got a great combo/team. Not for everyone, for obvious reasons, but those who will like it, will love it.

Old Cop slowly goes crazy after learning about his deceased wife's past. Southern style drama of revenge and jealousy set in the high North. Great performances, great art direction, interesting visualizations. Recommended.

"A White, White Day" is a Drama movie in which we watch a retired police officer suspecting a man who was having an affair with his recently passed wife. Soon he will lose control and he will create a hostile environment for him and the rest of his family.

I was surprised by this movie because it was interesting due to its plot that dag into the human soul and the grieving of a person who just want to find out the truth. The interpretations of both Ingvar Sigurdsson who played as Ingimundur and Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir who played as Salka were absolutely outstanding and made the difference. The direction which was made by Hlynur Palmason, it was simply amazing and I found very interesting the way he presented our main character, his life and also how he presents us the grieving if his main character. Finally, I have to say that "A White, White Day" is an interesting drama movie and I am sure that after watching it you will think of it for a long time.