Apflickorna

I found She Monkeys to be a somewhat confusing film, meaning that the intent of the director was not readily apparent to me.

The tone of this film was more melancholic than playful. And foreboding. That is primarily because the main character, Emma, is a girl who purposefully hides her emotions. Because she is so stone-faced, it is difficult to know what she is thinking or to anticipate what she might do next.

This does add some suspense to the story. And it did keep me involved, wondering where the story was going next.

In the end, I did not find many truths or questions to reward my involvement. Technically, the film was well made. But emotionally, it left me wanting.

Alright, the DVD cover has actress Mathilda Paradeiser standing and holding a gun, which pretty much Sells the movie on a wrong Foundation. Sure there was a gun in the movie, but it wasn't a particularly big part of the story or the movie that it should be included on the movie cover.

While the acting of Mathilda Paradeiser (playing Emma) and Linda Molin (playing Cassandra) was quite good and nicely carried the movie, then they were not able to save the awful script and storyline. It was as if director Lisa Aschan was abruptly cut short before having the chance to tie the ends together and actually make this a coherent and interesting story.

"Apflickorna", its original Swedish title, is unfathomably slow paced and took an hour and twenty-four minutes to tell almost nothing. There is a sort of beaten down and depressing sensation all throughout the entire movie, which in itself was a good achievement in setting the mood.

It was a struggle to get through this movie, and the constant hope of it picking up pace and becoming entertaining just never rooted and took place.

Now watched, this movie will be put on the shelf to gather dust and slowly fade into oblivion.

Lisa Aschen's film 'She Monkeys' is a tenderly observed account of two teenagers (and one younger girl) struggling with the pains of growing up, trying to be selected for a team of equestrian gymnasts. It's subtle, and leaves the inner workings of its protagonists' minds to the viewer's own understanding. The low budget is apparent in the relative absence, given the subject matter, of horses; but it doesn't mean that there isn't some skill in the acting, directing and writing. However, the plot doesn't really go anywhere, and the whole drama feels more like the prelude to another, more forceful story that doesn't actually happen.

Ignore the movie poster with the lead actress holding a rifle with menace in her eyes. Nothing happens even close to the implied violence. Two teen girls compete for some obscure sport riding horses while doing gymnastics. They come close to a lesbian relationship but it never happens. A seven year old girl acts inappropriately for her age with scenes that made me nauseous. The film goes nowhere and I barely made it through this meaningless drama.

Yes, this film unravels slowly... like a Swedish winter, but it is a fascinating glimpse, I think, into female psychology in general (not just Swedish). The film is very sly, and you won't appreciate the bitter, yet kinda funny, poetic justice of the plot... until the final scene. Highly recommended. Gorgeous young actresses in the leading roles, and lovely Swedish scenery abounds. The film is poetic and even somewhat oneiric, and, in its glacial ellipticality perhaps owes more to old Ingmar Bergman films than it does to more recent Swedish fare. Indeed, the story of the love/hate relationship between two young women seems a nod to Bergman's 1966 classic, Persona. So universal is the the theme of this film that one could almost comprehend the story without subtitles and not knowing Swedish. A real gem.