101 Reykjavik

I saw the film 101Reykjavik during one of my sessions as a projectionist at a movie theater in Helsingborg. I had no previous knowledge of the film neither had I heard anything about it, but boy was I in for a treat.

Although the movie seems incomplete story wise, the characters and the dialog is superb and some of the plot twists make you fall out of the chair in laughter. So despite the lack in story development the overall experience is great. The music (by among others Damon Albarn) compliments the pictures wonderfully with its playful themes of the old classic "Lola". It is really a variation of the old "Slacker" theme but it is done without any moral judgement on the characters. Some people aren't ment to become important and some are. Hlynur (the protagonist) is constantly torn between his selfconscious criticism of the world and the inevitable fact that he has to live in it and he gets by as best as he can. Would the story had been allowed to develop even further the movie would have been the ultimate voice of the "Slacker" generation but since it falls short the best one can do is just take it for what it is and enjoy.

I would warmly recommend the movie to everyone under 35, the older generations might want to check out something else.

I have been living in Iceland for a year and a half and got a picture of the country, its people and its capital, Reykjavík (I actually even lived in the 101 postal code in Reykjavík). This movie is really highlighting a type of persons that I have met quite often in Iceland. I think it is a clear and accurate picture of an important part of the young population. The main actor, Hilmir Snær Guðnason (Hlynur), is really expressing this disillusion that you can feel while enjoying Reykjavík's night life. If you want to go to this marvelous country or if you just interested how one can survived after a few months winter night, this is the movie to go watching. But do not worry, there is more than that in Iceland.

Iceland is a strange country, isolated from the rest of the world and with a strong sense of its traditional identity; but also affluent, liberal and with a reputation for hedonism. '101 Reykjavik', named after a district of its capital city famed for its nightclubs, takes a wry and jaundiced look at that society, viewing it through the perspective of Hlynur, a depressed, childish and insular young man living at home with his mother. Hlynur seems a very Icelandic sort of anti-hero, and the link between the nature of the characters and their place of abode gives this quirky comedy a distinctive and authentic feel, although it seems slightly surprising how much female attention the socially defective Hylnur is able to attract. There are more sophisticated movies out there, but '101 Rekjavik' is always entertaining and certainly worth watching, especially to anyone who's wondered what it really must be like to live in such a peculiar outpost of the western world.

This film is a fresh look at life itself. Being set in an unfamiliar environment, it gives the viewer a chance to see what might be an otherwise familiar story with a fresh set of eyes. Well, okay, strictly speaking, the story IS a little unusual, but that's not my point.

There are a few things you should probably know about Reykjavik before you see this movie. It's not really very cold, for one thing. Sitting out at the end of the Gulf Stream, it has very temperate weather, rarely above 72F (20C) in summer and typically around 30F (-2C) in winter. You could probably get by in a sweater most of the year, at least in the city. (Far away from the city, in the uninhabited middle of the country, you'll find a couple of active volcanoes and the largest glacier in Europe.) For another thing, it's an amazingly alcoholic place. When we were there, beer (well, weak beer, anyway) was sold in soda machines. People drink until they pass out in public, especially when getting primed for 3-day weekends (bank holidays), and it's not considered shameful -- their more conscious drunken friends just help carry them to the bus/airplane/car. People line up around the block to get into discos, even in the summer when it's light 22 hours a day. These people party hearty. If this seems like a conflict with what is supposed to be a predominantly Lutheran country, it might be, but nobody seems to let it bother them too much. But, back to the movie...

This movie is both a frank look at this gleefully debauched ambiance, and a more personal look at our hero, Hlynur. For the sake of discussion, let's call him a fully-grown bird yet to leave the nest. You could describe this movie a number of glib ways, none of which would be truly accurate. "Coming-of-age." "Self-discovery." "Rebirth." "The meaning of life." "Sex, drugs, and Rock 'n Roll."

What it is is funny. Really funny. Hlynur is sort of an existential being, and the world mostly happens to him. He's not sure why and not sure what it means. Should he find it tragic, incomprehensible, or just funny? For him, comfortable in the ennui of his unchallenging existence, these disturbances are a bit of a challenge. For us, the audience, what it is is seriously entertaining!

The directing is terrific. The acting is excellent. Victoria Abril is a treat, as usual, but the rest of the mostly Icelandic cast manages to keep up. And the endless "Lola" remixes are hilarious. A lot of fun, highly recommended.

This more or less seems to become a new trend: European countries – not particularly known for their rich history in film-making – surprise the world with semi-artistic movies telling us how boring life is in this particular country. F*cking Amal did so for Sweden…and 101 Reykjavik represents Iceland's pride and joy. I really like the lackadaisical tone of this film and especially the main character Hlynur is great! I love these Icelandic names, by the way…and the language is lovely! Anyway, Hlynur is a 30 something single man who gives cigarettes to 4-year-olds and daydreams about butchering his closest relatives with a shotgun…on Christmas day! He still lives with his mother while he already looks forward to drawing a pension. Oh, he also occasionally bangs his mother's Flamenco dance-teacher. Her name is Lola and every time her name is mentioned the song by The Kinks can be heard on a harmonica, which is rather funny. Anyway, Hlynur doesn't know that Lola is the lesbian toygirl of his mother…Just your typical day in 101 Reykjavik.

101 Reykjavik is very funny, only because the main character is such a loser! And everybody knows is a lot more interesting to observe a loser instead of a fake action hero, right? The different subjects handled in this film all may look very controversial, but the terrific use of black humor and satire makes it a lot easier to digest. And, it must be said, the film features a few extremely ingenious findings! In a brilliantly comical scene, Hlynur irritates a traffic warden by putting extra coins in every parking meter so that he can't write a single ticket. I'd certainly recommend this film, as long as you're not expecting an authentic masterpiece. It's clever, creative and filled with nudity (male and female). If they made one lesson clear with this movie, it's: don't ever settle in Iceland!