(Ruben
Östlund/2014/France, Sweden & Norway)
A
superbly observed family drama about a Swedish couple on a skiing
holiday with their two kids who have a crisis of faith in their
relationship. When an incident occurs with a controlled avalanche
that comes dangerously close to the restaurant balcony they and other
guests are dining at the actions of dad Tomas cause a schism in his
marriage to Ebba and a breakdown in personality and self belief. It’s
acutely paced, building slowly from Tomas’s refusal to face facts
to his eventual implosion of moral doubt. His resolution of character
in the penultimate scene sees him regain his confidence but there’s
a hint that Ebba has maybe manufactured the scenario to get her
husband back on an even keel. The final scene when Ebba more or less
replicates Tomas’ questionable actions in a moment of panic is a
nice flourish to undercut the rest of the movie. Everyone is capable
of mistakes and no one knows for sure how they will react to fight or
flight situations. It’s funny, questioning and brilliantly
unsettling with a lovely, slightly eccentric ending.
(4/5)
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