Masjävlar

Maria Blom's 'Masjävlar' shows a slice of life at a small Swedish town. The dysfunctional family theme as presented here isn't anything new and the film does tend to border on clichés at times but there's a sincerity with which Blom tells her story. For example, all the scenes of Mia finding herself a stranger in her own home town while at the same time making judgements about others and as it would turn out, no one is who she thought them to be, are narrated very well. Anyone who has returned to their hometown after a very long time will be able to relate to those scenes.

The subtle performance by lead actress Sofia Helin is also very effective and brings out the depth of Mia making her struggle more convincing. Kajsa Ernst and Ann Petren are equally wonderful as the two older sisters who couldn't be any more different. The rest of the cast do a fine job bringing in some humour.

The execution is quite ordinary but the pleasant snowy Swedish landscape is refreshing to look at. The soundtrack is used smoothely. The birthday party track especially stands out as it's filmed beautifully and so many things happen in that scene, both on the surface and within the characters (portrayed very well by the actors).

'Masjävlar' may not be one of its kind and even though it tells a familiar story that has been witnessed various times on screen, there is a freshness about the way its treated and told.

This is an incredible film. I can't remember the last time I saw a Swedish movie this layered. It's funny, it's tragic, it's compelling, and most of all it's a slice of Swedish small town life. It crushes the clichés, and dwells deeper. It makes you feel connected, not only to the main characters, but to all the characters.

Big city girl tracing back to her roots, her small hometown, to celebrate her father's 70th birthday, crossing paths with people she hasn't met in several years. Although the story itself isn't unique, it offers a fresh approach. The center of the story is the relationship between three sisters (on different stages in life), who aren't very close. Or at least don't realize how close they are.

One key reason that makes it so easy to connect to the people in this film is the immaculate cast. First, I'm more than pleased about the fact that there are absolutely no so-called 'A-list' Swedish actors in this film. Usually there is a handful of actors that has the ability to find their way into almost every major production in Sweden. This time the production company managed to keep it real by casting actors who actually seem to love their profession. Sofia Helin is probably the first Swedish actress since Eva Röse to prove that you don't need words to convey an emotion.

The writing is also very appealing. The dialogue is more than believable, and compared with other Swedish films from the past year or two, it's ahead by miles. Maria Blom controls everything from the beginning, and if you didn't know, you would never guess that this is her first time writing AND directing a feature length film. I can't wait for her next one.

Once you start watching this, you really want to see it through.

I saw this at the Mill Valley Film Festival. Hard to believe this is Ms. Blom's directorial debut, it is beautifully paced and performed. Large cast of characters could be out of an Anne Tyler novel, i.e. they are layered with back story and potential futures, there are no false notes, surprising bursts of humor amidst self-inflicted anxiety and very real if not earth-shattering dilemmas. If you saw "The Best of Youth," you will recognize how well drawn the characters are through small moments, even as the story moves briskly along. I really hope this gets distribution in the USA. I live in a fairly sophisticated film market, yet we rarely get Swedish films of any kind.

Just saw this movie today at the Seattle International Film Festival, and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Great writing and direction, excellent and believable interaction among the cast, and great comic timing as well.

This movie touches on themes that are universal-family and separation. As a result, I can see European, Asian, and American audiences all finding points of similarity between this film and their own lives.

If all that wasn't enough, this has the potential to be the best underground date movie of the year...somebody distribute this in the USA, please!

Finally: thank you Maria Flom! It really is a great film.

I loved this movie! In the beginning it's weird, slightly awkward, but then as I get familiar with the characters, it gets deep and emotional and goes right to the core of the dysfunctions of a rural swedish family and some of their friends. They have come together to celebrate the 70th birthday of their father. There is more and more the sense that something has got to give. Lots of feelings, lot of catharsis and opening up and moments of reckoning and trying to find a way forward. There is more than a few moments of comedy as well, and in the end this is a positive movie, not a depressing one. At the same time there is despair, dysfunction, tragedy. For me a great movie.