Nós Somos as Melhores!

It's 1982 Stockholm. Bobo and Klara are outcast 13 year old girls. Bobo lives with her single mom. Klara is angry, political and rebellious. They want to play punk despite people telling them that punk is dead. The only problem is that they don't know how to play music. They befriend shy religious Hedvig who teaches them how to play music. The girls' friendships go through a haircut, some boy troubles and band disputes. In the end, they get a gig and cause a minor riot.

The puppy punk is cute but kinda meaningless. Sometimes they are more brats than rebels. I guess rebelling against gym class is important when you're that young. It doesn't dig that deep. The girls' friendship is the more compelling thing in this movie. It's best when the girls deal with the ups and downs of their relationship. The characters are well-drawn and the girls are fair actors.

First off, I was a muffle school "punk" in 1982, so I couldn't resist catching a screening of We Are the Best at the Jeonju Film Festival (Korea). My previous experience with Swedish films has been limited, and resulted in spells of sleep (the scenes of Swedish TV in this film were reminiscent!).

The young actresses were amazing! Real, infectious. . . brilliant! The story-telling and script were first-rate. The filming fit the material perfectly. I could appreciate this both as a 40- something adult now and as a compatriot of the main characters from that time period-- even if I experienced adolescence half a world away.

It's a feel-good film, and serious issues are framed in the most palatable way-- but the movie makes no pretensions and it it was it is, and that is a first-rate film, great for all ages, that has everyone leaving with a smile!

'WE ARE THE BEST!': Four Stars (Out of Five)

Swedish-Danish drama flick about three teenage girls, that decide to form a punk band together; in 1982 Stockholm. It stars a cast of mostly unknowns; including Mira Barkhammar, Mira Grosin and Liv LeMoyne (as the three leads). It was written and directed by Lukas Moodysson and it's based on the 2008 graphic novel 'Never Goodnight'; by Coco Moodysson (the director's wife). The film received mostly rave reviews and it's appeared on many American critics' 2014 Top 10 lists. I found it to be inspiring and beautifully natural.

Bobo (Barkhammar) and Klara (Grosin) are two 13-year-old girls, growing up in 1982 Stockholm. They're outsiders at their school, due to their androgynous appearance and love for punk rock music; which many consider a 'dead art form'. They decide to form a band, despite not knowing how to play any instruments, as a way of rebelling against popular culture. Later they enlist a Christian girl named Hedvig (LeMoyne), from their school, to help them learn how to play chords and sing songs. Hedvig plays classical guitar, very well, and she's also a social outcast. The three girls form a beautiful team.

The movie is very impressive; in how it captures youth so realistically. The dialogue is really believable; and the three lead performances are super natural. If I didn't know any better, I would have totally believed it was a documentary (almost). The directing is completely fitting to the material and the story is beautifully inspiring. What a great movie for all kids, of almost any age, to see. Especially social outsiders and those that love punk music. The soundtrack is also totally awesome! I highly recommend it; to kids and adults alike.

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'Punk is dead' as they say in the film which is set in 1982. Punk fans from 1977 have moved on to Joy Division and young people are dancing in tacky attire to The Human League! Not these three passionate young 13 year old girls Bobo, Clara and Hedvig. They still think punk is very much alive and want to form a band, even though the founding members Bobo and Clara cannot play (They later recruit Hedvig who is a classical guitarist). A simple premise like this makes for one of the most enjoyable films this year so far.

Bobo and Clara are outsiders in their school. Bobo is the shy, androgynous type, whereas Clara is the outspoken type with naïve anti-establishment views. After a minor punishment in gym class for not joining in, they vent their frustrations at the seemingly unnecessary part of the school curriculum by writing a song titled 'Hate the Sport'. They pretend to be in a band when they are at their local youth club and manage to book a room where there is instruments. Since they cannot play a note between them, they need to recruit someone else. When watching Hedvig play classical guitar to a chorus of boos from the audience at a school concert, they recognise she is an outsider as well. There is discussion over whether Hedvig's Christian views would be fitting with their image. Clara amusingly thinks of it as a challenge to turn her from Christian into a punk.

The three girls boast the usual mixture of cynicism towards mainstream cultural ideals and a positive enthusiasm for changing the world. The actresses do a stellar job in making the conversations and interaction seem very believable. The film is often very funny and very relatable to anyone who was some kind of passionate outsider as a teenager. The parents of the girls are also well observed. Here we have burned out and embarrassing hippy parents who are sickeningly liberal and a single mum who floats from man to man to suppress her loneliness. They may have at one time been enthusiastic and idealistic in their formative years much like the central characters, but life has made them 'uncool'! The dialogue seems ad-libbed most of the time and done very well. The scenes are expertly edited so the conversations are not drawn out so much which happens often with improvised dialogue. It also has a social realism aesthetic to it which I feel is needed for a film like this it really encapsulates the energetic, youthful optimism which is also realistic.

After years of apparently making dark art films, Director Lukas Moodysson has made something here which encapsulates the spirit and energy of youth and punk. I feel it is Directed by someone who really understands punk as not just a genre of music, but a passion and attitude which lives in the hearts and minds of, in this case, the dis-enfranchised youth. The fact that it is based on his wife's comic book in which she writes of her own experiences as a teenager, it seems like a personal project too. I could not stop grinning throughout the whole film as I found it a particularly joyful experience. The film gives way to poignant moments like the scene when Hedvig plays an acoustic version of a song by Swedish punk band KSMB. It was a scene which made me nearly cry and really gave the lyrics a new perspective with the acoustic guitar. It made me want to go home and write a songs expressing my general vitriol towards the bureaucracy of sport, but could not come up with something as good as this. As they say 'We are the Best!'. And it's true!

Ive watched two of Lukas Moodysson other works (Tillsammans and Show me love)

I enjoyed them (Show me love abit more then Tillsammans) I like Moodyssons way of making film, exploring the coming out of age genre, which he's really good at making films with that theme and that he is enlightening important subjects of lives different periods.

"Vi är bäst" is focusing of the different political movements under the 80s in Sweden. It focuses alot of the freedom movement about sexuality, friendships and breaking norms in society and being yourself. A very modern, innovative, very good, deep, funny and thought provoking film.

Its very well put together. And very well made!

It's guided by a very well written script that fits the age of the actors, which makes the film feel very authentic and real. Aswell the acting is very good! Filming aswell! Cinematography is great! Its very well made giving the right atmosphere to the 80s.

Moodysson manages to capture those climps on the rollercoaster of emotions, actions and consequences throughout life and growing up.

I really recommend it!