Fyra nyanser av brunt (2004)

An eccentric millionaire dies at a manor in Dalarna in Sweden, leaving behind three sons and a mistress. One of four parallel stories about parents and children. Four sides of Sweden. Four shades of brown.

Director:

Tomas Alfredson

Writers:

Tomas Alfredson, Robert Gustafsson

Stars:

Robert Gustafsson, Maria Kulle, Karl Linnertorp

5 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Gustafsson	...	Christer / Johan
Maria Kulle	...	Anna
Karl Linnertorp	...	Morgan
Jonas Inde	...	Ray / Tony
Johan Rheborg	...	Kjell Levrén / Ernst
Karin Holmberg	...	Arbetsterapeuten (as Karin 'Kickan' Holmberg)
Viktor Friberg	...	Jan
Eva Ekengren	...	Mådan
Tore Persson	...	Morgan's Teacher
Henrik Schyffert	...	Richard
Anna Björk	...	Tove
Iwar Wiklander	...	Jan-Erik
Karin Ekström	...	Smulan
Finn Nielsen	...	Perikles
Fyr Thorvald Strömberg	...	Keskinen (as Fyr Torvald)

Storyline

An eccentric millionaire dies at a manor in Dalarna in Sweden, leaving behind three sons and a mistress. One of four parallel stories about parents and children. Four sides of Sweden. Four shades of brown.

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Plot Keywords:

sweden | family relationships | parent child relationship | father daughter relationship | father son relationship | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

svt.se

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish Estonian Danish

Release Date:

6 February 2004 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Four Shades of Brown

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nordisk Film/TV, SVT Drama, Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

192 min

Sound Mix:

DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited into Min sista vilja (2005)

User Reviews

Dark comedy with serious content commenting on today's Swedish society

This is one of the two best recent Swedish films I've seen, and not surprisingly it's Tomas Alfredson which is the director. It's a funny film to watch, but there's a serious undertone here. The film is made by a group of Swedish comedians which are called "Killinggänget", and many of them are at least well know over most of Scandinavia. Some of them occurs in several roles in the four stories.

Some might be offended by the humor which is about very serious matters and even about very touchy subjects, making it even more funny in my opinion.

"Four shades of brown" tells four stories with the three hours the film last, and they are all somewhat connected in the title. In all four of the stories which are taking place in four opposite sides of this rather geographically large country, we see different relations between parents and kids, and the problems with these family relations, and the result of this.

The synopsis of the four stories are, in short, all leading to disasters:

1. A crematory-worker wants to show his line of work to his misguided and troubled son, because he feels forced to do so, something which he should never have done.

2. A magician couple comes to visit their son, which tries to step out of his own class after buying a up-class beach hotel. They are bringing a third wheel on the wagon, a Danish free spirited man, picked up by the wife, because she is sick and tired of her boring husband. It leads to disaster.

3. A free spirited horse trainer, which was abused as child, has become a worshiper of Buddha, and has never cared much for his three sons, dies, and cheats them from heritage.

4. A therapy group gathers several times and are being sincere about their problems, which include relations and dealing with the truth.

These four stories are in way from everyday Sweden, and they are all good enough to be film by themselves. They are all taken out on the edge, but with a darker meaning behind it all. The film poster are simply the Swedish flag painted in four shades of brown around the yellow cross. I am not the one to reveal what it's all about, but the title might refer to the Swedish plague of neo-Nazism and right extremism which has risen for the last decades. Is this film trying to give an input into that discussion? Are the fathers all ruining their kids?

A demanding film in many ways. Long, four stories which has a connection and difficult matters. The film resembles the brilliant "In order of disappearance", which is equally dark and funny, and also have a serious comment lying behind the story. Equally recommended, and a tad easier to watch as pure entertainment with it's single story and two running hours.