Apan

I put on this movie without having read a single word about it, something that helped elevate "Apan" over almost everything I've seen so far this year. I never saw Jesper Ganslandts debut "Farväl Falkenberg" either, so I did not know anything about this up and coming swedes intentions with getting in to the movie business until yesterday. What he has accomplished with "Apan" is capturing the main character Kristers, Played by Swedish actor Olle Sarri, total nervous breakdown. You can feel the tone set by Ganslandt from the very first frame, and that's only the start of a descent towards the absolute darkest depths of the mind acted out with perfection by Olle Sarri.

If I were to compare what I experienced with this film to something else, the closest work would be Gaspar Noés "Enter The Void", in how the audience gets forced in to a character by means of filming and lack of added sounds and music. 20 minutes in, I felt the emotions portrayed by Olle Sarri, and how his decisions actually mattered to me. You become the broken individual on screen.

If you are interested in seeing a fantastically well perceived narrative of a broken mans broken life, this is for you. If you are susceptible to this kind of film, you will feel as empty and broken as the subject of this portrayal when you're done.

I have rated this film 7/10, but I'm honestly not sure I would recommend it to anybody. It left me feeling uneasy and a bit sad. However, is that not the hallmark of a good film? One that evokes strong feelings?

The film leaves some unanswered questions, such as what drove the protagonist to do what he did. Though, it is unclear if he even knows.

It is apparent that he has had some sort of a breakdown and that he is lonely. However, some of his actions don't fully make sense, but then perhaps they're not supposed to, to the rational mind. I think the bleakness of Scandinavia in what must be early spring or late autumn adds to the depressing ambience.

Gabriel Millsom.

This film was interesting, but extremely disturbing. Obviously that was intentional. We are never told the "why" of anything that takes place, except for some rather lame allusions.

This is not a film for the average viewer looking for a well explained, believable plot. Au contraire. This plot is intentional chaos.

I was in a mood for a weird movie when I went to see this one. What really disappointed me is that it's mostly just very realistic and slightly depressing.

Very little happens in the movie. It could have ended after 40 minutes and it wouldn't have changed the totality much at all. It wasn't exactly bad in the way that you get angry because it's stupid or anything like that but there really isn't any sense of a story unfolding.

I think it's a film that it OK to have seen but I didn't enjoy the experience very much. Don't watch it unless you want to see something made by film people for film people.

Just don't waste your time. It is just not worth it. You wouldn't do yourself a favour.