L'albero del vicino

"Tis better to be that which we destroy," said MacBeth "than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy." This advice goes unheeded by a cluster of people on the outskirts of Reykjavik. Trivial matters take on increased significance and are taken to extremes. Such things as a missing cat, haughty new girlfriend and solitary tree, fuel doubt, suspicion, revenge and anger. Nothing is too trivial to spar over. At the foundation of it all is grief, depression, indifference and loneliness, but people let their emotions spiral out of control anyway. Has everyone lost their minds?! Perhaps they have.

This darkly humorous cautionary tale about the hazards of runaway passions, is as frightening as it is funny. This is because the truths of the film cut to the bone about human character. The scenes, conversations and characters are straightforward and unassuming. The music is well chosen, actors are believable, and many scenes are refreshingly atypical of Hollywood fare, such as a beautiful view of downtown Reykjavik. Seen at the Miami Film Festival.

Wow! This really is quite something. A dark, tense Icelandic dramatic thriller with a dry comic streak. After an argument with Agnes (Edda Björgvindóttir), Alti (Steinpór Hróar Steinpórsson) is kicked out of their flat. He's caught watching an old sex-tape of an ex and finds the locks changed. So he goes to stay with his parents who are in the midst of a squabble with their neighbours over a tree that's casting too much shade. You'd think the troubled marriage would be the more serious plot point, but you'd be wrong. It uses its humour to great effect, twisting the narrative wonderfully. In fact it feels very close to dry British humour. There's an honesty to it and although it's undoubtably Scandinavian, the muted colour palette gives it that dark gritty British tone. The two plots escalate rapidly with a custody battle, slashed tyres, missing pets, a missing brother, security cameras, suggestive gnomes, chainsaws, it gets brutal... really really brutal. Uncomfortably brutal and although it's quite stark and simple, it takes the viewer to some really unexpected places. Be nice. Talk it out. Otherwise you might regret it.

The story reminds me old Icelandic sagas, the conflict between neighbors and the sad end but i don't find anything depressing in this movie, just shows how fool and stubborn some people are.

Have a lot of love for foreign language films, of all decades and all genres. That and that it was another film seen as part of my quest to see as many 2018 films as possible were my main reasons in seeing 'Under the Tree' from Icelandic director Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurdsson.

'Under the Tree' is a truly fine film and manages to take a relevant subject (feuding neighbours) and explore it in a way that was hilarious, shocking and moving. It won't be one of my favourite films any time soon, but in no way should it be overlooked and should be seen as an example of how to execute a film with a subject like this well. Sadly, 'Under the Tree' has been released here alongside more expensive in budget films that have been quite big box office successes and films that people are more likely to go and see. While having enjoyed many of the films in question (in no way is it intended to be knock), 'Under the Tree' is better than most of them and deserves better.

Sure 'Under the Tree' is occasionally a touch overcooked and some may find some of the behaviours extreme.

However, Sigurdsson directs with a perfect balance of hilarious mayhem and melancholic pathos. This is also reflected in the thought-provoking script he scripted with Huldar Breidfjord. Many parts are hilarious in a dark way, others genuinely shock and there are emotional parts too, all in a way that is kept plausible throughout. Neighbour feuding sounds insignificant on paper to some, but 'Under the Tree' makes it darkly funny, disturbing and melancholic, a not easy feat but beautifully done here.

The storytelling is always compelling, with the tensions having a bleakness and ferocity while still entertaining and emotionally resonating. There is a good deal happening, but not in a way that it feels cluttered with too many characters and subplots, instead there is enough breathing space and depth while having an alertness to the drama.

A good cast would be needed to bring all this life. Luckily, 'Under the Tree's' cast is excellent. Particularly note-worthy of a cast where everybody is good and nobody bad is Edda Bjorgvinsdottir on fiercely intense form, her character near-unhinged.

It is a very well made film visually, beautifully shot in particular. The music is inspired, appropriate and cleverly used.

Overall, great and shouldn't be forgotten. 9/10 Bethany Cox

It's an interesting story about escalation of retribution and misery caused by loss and dishonesty but it is NOT comedy.