Om Gud vill

I had seen this film on the big screen and thought it was a gem. Now, a year later, I saw it on DVD and was even more impressed. It really is beautiful and very worthwhile to get on DVD. I believe that there are some films you see and find great, but then you see them a second time by chance on television or wherever, and you wonder what impressed you. Then there are films that stand the test of time, the ones that count in film history, the ones with magic. I am an unrelenting film critic, I was trained to be that way, and can say that I believe that this is one of those films. Its solemn mood, the exquisite cinematography and the soundtrack are some of the qualities that I find truly unique. I definitely look forward to seeing this guy's next picture.

That is the year this Swedish movie is about. The summer is very hot and an immigrant is waiting for his wife to arrive. While waiting he meets a Finnish girl and some drama occurs.

The director makes his debut here and he has much to learn and mostly about telling a story. You've seen everything many times before and so has he. Too many times. But the good thing here are the actors and especially the photo. The camera sometimes "freeze" a moment and puts more poetry in it, than it has through the narration.

This is a first try, not without talent. But the filmmakers should maybe not go to the pictures that often.

I saw it on the Karlovy Vary Filmfestival, on a crowded, well filled place. My only reasons to watch this film : Nina Persson from the cardigans, a black and white movie(love it) and last but not least, to watch a debut-movie which could be to be suited for our own festival in Germany. I was totally surprised from the warm and good humor, the stunning camera and the charm full acting of the leading roles. Another point i really like, was the soundtrack especially the old Finnish tango "oriental love". Can't take this song out of my mind on that day. A nice and individual film that reminds me a bit on Jarmusch and Kaurismäki.

Daring, original and beautifully shot film about dreams, love and loneliness. Cool and relaxed tone. Minimalist. Plot is low-key. One is left more with a feeling of inspiration rather than a conclusive story. I believe this was intended, to let the audience muse a bit while watching the film, and to leave us more thoughtful than happy, yet charmed.

Long moments of silence and the dreamy sequences reflect the would-be-lovers' states of mind, as they are confused and falling in love. It's an efficient expression in the film.

Both the main characters seem vulnerable, and while the leading male role is somewhat gawky in a Chaplin or Roberto Benigni sort of way, there's definitely some Pacino going on as well. It's an interesting combination. Oddly enough, it works.

Cardigans-Nina Persson manages her debut as an actress playing the role of a Finnish tango-singer beautifully. She's a goddess, like Greta Garbo with a hint of Liv Ullman's warm glow. Her singing performance in the film is stunning, and The White Stripes' cover is quite awesome.

Final verdict: A for effort, B for grade.

It's a film about dreams, about immigrants who came to Sweden from all over the world in the 60's and 70's. They came for various reasons, often political, unable to stay in their own countries. Many stayed as they found love and new beginnings.

The main feature in this film is the image poetry, definitely. It's astounding.

There's a feeling of melancholy, reminiscent of the film In the Mood for Love, and the love theme is quite similar in the way it is portrayed.

Stylistically, it echoes some of the new wave Italian and maybe French films of the 60's. Yet it still has it's unique expression. There's something naked about it, and innocent.

While the archive images from the 70's add to a 'real feel' of the story, the plot remains somewhat intangible and vague. It may challenge conventional movie-going audiences, and maybe they need to be challenged.

The production designers and set decorators did a fab job in creating the settings, sparing us from too many 70's props. Overdoing it is often a flaw in time-period flics portraying the same era, so the modesty in décor here added some serious points.

To round things up, the film is innovative and style-conscious, and hopefully it has paved the way for more creative and indie films to screen on the repertoire. Let's hope it has.

Thanks for putting it out there!