Efterskalv

The Hereafter. Swedish drama about an adolescent recently out of young offenders home trying to come to terms with his past crime. A moving 8 out of ten (I cried buckets)

Bleak, sombre social drama from Sweden about a teenager who moves back in with his father and younger brother after having served a prison sentence for a serious crime. It's a harrowing insight that writer/director Magnus von Horn and lead actor Ulrik Munther gives us when we realize the depth of John's problems with adjusting to a life of normal behaviour. Solid acting and distinctive camera-work helps intensify the experience. With Ulrik Munther, Mats Blomgren, Wieslaw Komasa, Alexander Nordgren, Loa Ek, Ellen Jelinek and Inger Nilsson.

The review is finished now. This is just to fill out the character limit.

Sadly, this debut is very mediocre and Magnus' skills to handle work on a film set are even poorer. The film is a wasted potential of a good idea. Magnus Von Horn has little to offer as a filmmaker.

We, the "good people", believe (from religious or pure moral, humanitarian reasons) that crimes and transgressions should be forgiven (at least if the criminal shows signs of remorse), prison should not punish but rehabilitate, everybody should be given a second chance, etc. etc.

What this movie does is to stand those beliefs on end. The protagonist, John, has committed a murder. His punishment is extremely lenient; he has spent two years in a rather comfortable detention center for minors. He is released and returns to the small town where his family lives and to the school that was the scene of the crime. Naturally, he faces rejection from his fellow students and from the townspeople in general. Even more disturbingly he does not reveal any obvious hint of remorse or even understanding of his crime and shows sociopathic tendencies (obviously, rehabilitation did not work). Thus the people who reject him (especially the family of the victim), although superficially in the wrong are more justified than the "good people."

This is the first feature film by director and writer Magnus von Horn. He has put the tale on screen impeccably; there is no sentimentality, nothing is missing, no scene is prescindible. Acting is first rate; in particular Ulrik Munther brings John to life chillingly. Cinematography by Lukasz Zal fits the action perfectly. A movie to watch.

John has committed a crime but being a juvenile he is only sent away to detention for two years. On his release he returns to his home, father and younger brother Filip. The crime he has committed is one that is too much for the local community and more over his school companions to bear with whom he wishes to remain. This is a community long on memory and short on forgiveness.

Things change when he meets a new girl who has, seemingly, been untouched by his past behaviour and it looks like he might get a second chance. What follows is the slow creeping to the inevitable and desperate acts of a community and family in crisis.

Now that is really well made the acting is excellent and the production values are really high too. It is the story that pulls you along but that only works because the acting is soo convincing and compelling. This is one that is easily recommended to anyone who likes Nordic Noir or even a good teen drama.