IMDb RATING
7.1/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
The story of families living in barracks left by the US Army in Reykjavik at the conclusion of World War II.The story of families living in barracks left by the US Army in Reykjavik at the conclusion of World War II.The story of families living in barracks left by the US Army in Reykjavik at the conclusion of World War II.
- Awards
- 5 wins & 3 nominations total
Ingvar Sigurdsson
- Grjóni
- (as Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson)
Featured reviews
Alright so I may be biased since I played "Dick" in the movie (2 lines, Woo Hoo!!) but I definitely liked it. Although the characters sometimes seemed like caricatures you have to remember that they were trying to distill an entire nation's attitudes down into a few people. The movie is not exactly uplifting but it is well done. The acting is quality and Fridrik Thor's directing is on par with his Oscar nominated "Children of Nature."
I saw this movie in a university class. First, I felt it was somewhat loose in storyline and editing, and it took me a while to get me into the story. but then I got accustomed with the characters and was fine after all.
The story is about a family that lives in some come-down US-barrack-shelters in the early 1950ies. It covers a couple of years of time. It's built up like a classic Icelandic saga - about a family in Iceland, with one character, Baddi that is, in the middle, and the problems Baddi causes. But that might also make the story a bit boring.
Characters are odd and funny. Cinematography is excellent. If you like Scandinavian cinema and and story lines you can't predict, this is a movie you should watch.
The story is about a family that lives in some come-down US-barrack-shelters in the early 1950ies. It covers a couple of years of time. It's built up like a classic Icelandic saga - about a family in Iceland, with one character, Baddi that is, in the middle, and the problems Baddi causes. But that might also make the story a bit boring.
Characters are odd and funny. Cinematography is excellent. If you like Scandinavian cinema and and story lines you can't predict, this is a movie you should watch.
This film features a lot of drinking, a lot of shouting and a lot of fighting! But this isn't enough to make it a good film. I never cared about the people in the story.
This movie is a good, 'gritty' film, about a lower class family going through major cultural shock. Chances are you don't speak icelandic (I don't) but subtitled it flowed very well. It's not hollywood like, it goes a bit slower than your average film, but they use that time to develop the characters and to get you emotionally involved.
A very dark comedy dealing with people living in abandoned US barracks in Iceland. The characters apparently were based on real people but really, they could be characters that we know in our own parts of the world, making the point that we are all part of the human race with our foibles and idiosyncrasies. Yes, it was in the Icelandic language; yes, you likely had to read sub-titles. But for anyone interested in serious film, this would be no hindrance. This film puts to shame the overwhelming majority of films made in the USA these days which seem to be dumbing down even more each year. This is a film about life, covering a wide range from comedy to tragedy, but always thought-provoking and involving.
Did you know
- TriviaThe Elvis tribute band was initially not supposed to be in the movie at all, but when attempting to get clearances to use the original recordings proved far more expensive than anyone had expected, a group of professional, Icelandic session musicians were hastily hired to provide the incidental numbers. So the "band" that features in the film is not comprised of actors but of real musicians, really performing.
- GoofsWhen Baddi drives his car from the airport after staying at his mother in the USA, another person is seen in his car, though he apparently comes back alone.
- ConnectionsReferences La Mauvaise Graine (1956)
- SoundtracksAll Shook Up
Written by Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Devil's Island
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- ISK 200,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $5,814
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $5,814
- Mar 14, 1999
- Gross worldwide
- $5,814
- Runtime
- 1h 39m(99 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1
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