Magnus (2007)

Director:

Kadri Kõusaar

Writer:

Kadri Kõusaar (writer)

Release Date:

8 February 2008 (Latvia)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Who's not loved, will not live.

Plot:

A handsome teenager Magnus wants to commit suicide and his father tries to change his mind.

Plot Keywords:

Suicide | Hedonism | Euthanasia | Estonia | Father Son Relationship

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Anu Aaremäe	...	Girl from the Hospital
Piret Avila	...	Mari
Hellar Bergmann	...	Priest
Boris Burachinski	...	Restaurant Client
Ivo Goldi	...	Client with Special Needs
Heiko Hiller	...	Waiter
Aapo Ilves	...	Drugdealer
Merle Jääger	...	Mother
Kaisa Karu	...	Deafmute Chick No 2
Kristjan Kasearu	...	Magnus
Marika Korolev	...	Psychiatrist / Prostitute
Mart Laisk	...	Father
Bille Neeve	...	Big-breasted Woman
Kristiina Nurmis	...	Helle
Marianne Ostrat	...	Deafmute Chick No 1
Rita Raave	...	Brothel Administrator
Ruuben Rekkor	...	Small Magnus
Kerli Toim	...	Sister
Andrus Vaarik	...	Doctor
Margo Vaino	...	Photographer in Casting Session

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

Estonia | UK

Language:

Estonian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Hiiumaa, Estonia

Company:

Donus Films

Trivia:

This is the first Estonian feature film to be independently produced and financed.

Quotes:

Father: We should go to a brothel.
Magnus: I should cut my throat.

Soundtrack:

There is No Dance in Frequency and Balance

Welcome to Estonia

There's an old joke about Estonians.

A guy dies, goes to hell. Before his eternal torture begins the devil gives him a tour of hell. Everywhere the guy sees huge pits filled with boiling tar and people in agony, struggling to get out. When someone finally reaches the edge of the pit, there's always a devil's apprentice with a pitchfork there to push him back in.

Finally the guy reaches another such horrible boiling hole, but there aren't any devil's apprentices around. Confused, he asks the devil: "Where are the guys with the pitchforks? Aren't you afraid one of them is going to climb out?" "Relax," says the devil. "This pit of boiling tar is for Estonians. When one of them reaches the edge, the others pull him back in." This joke and this film both sum up Estonians almost perfectly.

I find it odd how the negative comments by other Estonians here are either personal, aimed at the director Kadri Kõusaar, or aimed at the film's quality. Which isn't groundbreaking, but is certainly good enough.

Quality, then. The quality of this film does not hinder storytelling. It's not up to the standards of Hollywood and the visual language doesn't really enhance the film except in a couple of parts, but it certainly doesn't hinder anything. It works to tell the story and it succeeds in that.

The story, then. There's a clear plot, but it might not be very clear on the first viewing. Nonetheless, every scene is crafted around the film's central idea and once you get it, you'll see it for yourself. The writing is not only competent, it's good. It's very good. Someone compared it to the cryptic works of Paulo Coelho. Well. I'm glad to say that Magnus is nothing like that. It's a lot better.

Magnus has a very clear point. It's about the dichotomy of Estonian life. You either don't give a sh*t and live a great life or you can bugger off and kill yourself. Nobody cares and if you look for someone to care about you, you'll just be disappointed.

One place where the film does suck, however, is the English translation. It's dry. It lacks soul. If that's all you have to go by, then sure, you'll probably not get what the film is about.

Magnus and Klass are two Estonian films I'm not ashamed to recommend to my foreign friends. Good films are made with great passion and both Magnus and Klass certainly have that passion.