Den enfaldige mördaren

Den Enfaldige Mördaren deserves to be better known. It's a fabulous film directed by Hans Alfredson and stars Stellan Skarsgård in one of his most memorable performances as the hare-lipped young man Sven, who's considered retarded by his surroundings. He seeks consolation and spiritual strength in his faith and visions as his life becomes difficult and tormenting as a worker for the vicious local factory owner Höglund (played by Alfredson himself).

Superbly played out in a slight retrospective manner, the film beholds a major heart. The emotional aspect is big as we witness Sven throughout the film; his childlike manners and his close relation to his guardian angels, the way he gets involved with the girl-next-door, and getting the opportunity to step up and being treated as an adult, receiving weekly salary and learning how to drive a motorcycle. It's a moving journey of a man who everyone around him seems to misunderstand and neglect. These bright and uplifting moments in the film works as a great counterbalance to the darkness it beholds, especially in the character of Höglund - he's first presented to us lurking into the stable where Sven sleeps among the animals, and he speaks violently and shows no affect for Sven, who's just lost his mother. Höglund treats Sven's sister as meat, shows no affection for his wife and kids, and uses gruesome actions to behold power in the local county.

Den Enfaldige Mördaren is packed with symbolism and ideas, and it flows carelessly in place and time (we sense both the Middle Ages and something futuristic, and everything in between) and tells a tale a multi-layered tale, shuffling so many elements of humor, romance, spirituality, society's mangles, vengeance and adventure. It's a film that makes one enthusiastic about European cinema.

As others have remarked, this may be the best movie to come out of Sweden. It both enrages and soothes, as it follows the oppression and uprising of the main character.

While it covers the tribulations and triumphs of the main characters perfectly, it's about so much more. It has a big heart and reminds you that overcomplicating things can lead us astray, whereas the purity of simplicity is sometimes what we should strive for, and it's a lesson in the corrupt nature of power.

The production may seem plain at first, but you'll soon realize that it's pitch perfect. Unfortunately I didn't see this movie before now - I, like every man, could have done well with the additional ballast that this piece of art provides.

"Den enfaldige mördaren" is without a doubt one of the best Swedish films ever made. It's a beautiful film, as well as a harrowing experience to watch. Stellan Skarsgård is magnificent in the role of Sven who is generally considered to be an idiot (because he is harelipped and he's therefore unable to speak clearly) -- even by his own sister Vera who is deeply ashamed of him. He gets a job at a factory owner's estate and is treated cruelly by that man (played by wonderful Hasse Alfredson, who also wrote the script and directed the film).

The film is fairly episodic but it definitely works in this film and as Sven's life gets better and better the pace becomes more "fluent", so to speak, which is really brilliant. The cinematography's brilliant as well. This is truly a great accomplishment.

I had to get that out - because I for one only got to know him way later in his career and was almost shocked seeing him young. I know I shouldn't be - but I just was. And maybe some other viewers will have the same feeling.

Of course that does not change much about the movie itself (if it does for you that is more than ok too). The drama works and no matter his age we know how good of an actor he is and he is showing it off here too. And he always had range - if you don't know .... well you do know now.

Not easy to stomach at times, maybe you disagree with the scenes that show a different reality (or fantasy or what you want to call it, especially towards the end). Well done on many aspects, but not for everyone.

The directing (by Hasse Alfredson) and the cinematography (by Rolf Lindström and Jörgen Persson) are excellent. During the whole movie the audience can hear the bittersweet tones of Verdi's Requiem. Not also the actors makes this movie to a masterpiece. Maria Johansson is brilliant as the lame girl. But the best performance of them all is made by Stellan Skarsgård as Sven - "The Idiot" (because of his harelip). Skarsgård's performance may be the best throughout the whole history of Swedish film.

Sven and the other farmers over the countryside of Skåne, in southern Sweden, have to endure the mental torture from the factory owner in the district, The Evil Man, played by Hasse Alfredson himself. But after enough suffering, Sven gets enough and with the angels of vengeance he walks over the fields to kill The Evil Man, the factory owner. All this to the music of Verdi's Requiem. This scene may be one of the strongest ever throughout the FILM HISTORY. See this movie, but carefully, do not hesitate.

If only the Lumiere brothers could have seen this...