Enferma De Mí

When Signe's artist boyfriend finds fame for the sculptures he makes out of furniture he's stolen from businesses, she will stop at nothing to get the attention of the crowd back on her. Munchausen's syndrome: that's what they call it when a person makes an art-form out of malingering. Or when they go so far to fake illness that they're no longer really faking.

"Sick of Myself" is a comedy so dark it's almost a horror story. Not only a horror story: a *body* horror story. I wonder what David Cronenberg or Clive Barker would think of it.

It's also a challenging viewing experience. The tone is so troubling and uncomfortable that it reminded me of another Scandinavian flick from last year, "Speak No Evil" - but that one certainly wasn't a comedy.

I often had to take breathers while watching it.

It also reminded me of "Ingrid Goes West", another dark comedy about a mentally ill young woman and the place society holds for crazy people, which it finds easy to exploit. The difference is that "Ingrid" had a stronger sense of plot and I always knew what it was trying to say. "Sick of Myself" feels more organic and unstructured, which gives you the feeling that anything can happen.

There is a lot of social commentary to be found in this film, which revolves around a young woman named Signe, who cannot deal with her pathological need for attention. It not only brings a character portrait of someone suffering from Münchhausen syndrome, but it also highlights topics like how we choose our beauty standards, even with "imperfect" beauty to be politically correct, or how we portray ourselves to the outside world.

A funny dynamic is her relationship with an equally attention hungry boyfriend Thomas: he asked for her help stealing furniture which he makes into his "art" and takes all the credit for himself. The more attention he receives, the more revolted she becomes and vice versa.

The movie starts off fantastically with increasingly absurd social situations and how far people are willing to go for a second in the spotlight. However, the speed decreases halfway through the movie and instead focusses more on the actual sickness Signe forced on herself. Even though her state of being gets worse and worse, the initial lighthearted yet dark humor that worked so well is kind of forgotten. The ending was felt anticlimactic and out of place for a movie that borded on the absurd and extreme during the first half.

The ideas and the script are really great, but all in all I feel the makers did not exactly know how to end the story. It would have been better - in my opinion - if it went out with a bang or at least a bit more on par with the intensity delivered in the beginning.

I watched the entire movie speechless, I had to watch 2 episodes of "bake-off, the professionals" right after to smell the flowers... I do not agree with some reviews here which empathize with what they describe as a human who wants to be seen and recognized. To me, this is all about attention-obsession and the lack of basic morality and self-respect - everyone else is to a degree victim, but not the 2 lead characters in this movie.

The impact it has on the viewer makes the movie successful, and I recognize it is bold and courageous also because it touches the subject of the superficiality of social media and diversity models (although I find the hint of humor in the blind-assistant scenes not acceptable). Technically, the acting was good (convincing and natural a lot), the plot is keeping you engaged from start to finish, and it was well worth the time (and money if applicable) somebody spends to see it.

I recommend watching this movie either alone or with people who are equally willing to sit and watch carefully and discuss it afterwards. Its not a light Saturday night movie to "enjoy with friends" while ordering pizza and beers.

There's a girl who likes to exceed expectations, just to grab, grasp, claw, pluck, seize, the world's attention, a girl whose boundaries are so wide, it's hard to even give a guide, as she smashes, crashes, bashes her foundations.

Original for sure, as Signe, superbly performed by Kristine Kujath Thorp, captures the eye, refocuses your gaze, turns your head at an angle and distracts with dismay, all for the sake of the brainwashing world so many have come to be seduced, deceived and ensnared by, and the rewards it invariably fails to deliver, as the clock tik toks and the masses fail to take stock, lock and flock.

This is very uncomfortable viewing for any human being who has ever been ignored and wants to be seen and recognized; so probably most in the 7 billion + will be triggered here out of humanity :]

• It truly is a comedy which shows flaws and unbalances in couples and also in society at large
• It makes fun of The Art World The World of Fashion; it makes fun of TV programs Newspapers The Realm of The Internet; nothing is left out ...
• It is clever funny disturbing but not too much of either of these 3; it also has that odd Scandinavian detachment which probably Scandinavians do not perceive and non-Scandinavians do not comprehend.

• I thought that it would be too serious but then the humour started to seep in and out like the main character's face at times; the acting was adequate but not striking
• Is it a comedy; a social commentary; a horror tale? A bit of all of those in a bright nicely furnished story

• Watch it for yourself and decide ...