Force Majeure

I can't fault the writing, the acting or the piece as a whole in any way really.

The dynamics and relationships between all the characters, especially of the central family, were done very convincingly. This did feel like a real family and the individuals behaved believably (even the young children).

I felt that the main "subject" of the film was masculinity. The way in which Tomas handles the position he finds himself in; and the way Tomas and his friend Mats try to exorcise his feelings.

I could relate to Tomas, also being a father with two young kids, and that probably helped me to "get into" the film. I do wander how much I'd have got out of it had I been (for example) a 25 year old bachelor.

The Europeans do this kind of film so well. You let ordinary people in a fairly common situation play out a theme. It poses questions that all of us can relate to and therefore and at the same time, entertains. No need for explosions, cartoon violence, or impossible crisis after impossible crisis. Therefore the emotions revealed are subtle and appropriate. (Think Manon de Sources for example - although this is not as good)! Some of the camera work in the mountains is so straightforward yet produces breathtaking results. Artificial avalanches are created to preempt natural ones and provide safety for the snow lovers. You could almost be there. The actors are relatively unknown so there is no baggage, no false expectations, no subliminal 'hierarchy of the characters.' It's what gives the story its power. I saw this at a film festival which shuns Hollywood's attempts at drama ( thankfully) to bring nuggets like this. I know it went down well at Cannes and its failure to get an award surprised some.

I have to say that at the end of the movie, I ended is a mild state of shock that lasted at least 20 minutes before I could start to assimilate the content of the movie. Visually the movie is well executed, the sceneries are not complex but the shots fit perfectly the situations that happen along the movie.

About the movie as a whole, I could say that you could easily write a book about it, is so full of different things like human emotions, psychological collapses, marriage problems, bizarre situations, funny scenes that could produce so many different reactions on people, the nature of the female and male towards protecting others... I could go on and on and on. I think that at the end of the movie the viewers will have a lot to talk about.

If you are a passionate and curious person and you take the decision to see this movie, be patient and enjoy it from the beginning to the end without interruptions.

In the tradition of movies like 2011's "The Loneliest Planet", the inciting incident of Sweden's failed entry into this year's awards season is sure to spur uncomfortable conversations with those dumb enough to watch this with a spouse or loved one.

"Force Majeure", a title which literally translates to superior force or unavoidable accident, follows a picturesque family (father, mother, son and daughter) on a ski vacation at a picturesque ski resort. They seem to be having the perfect time.

During a dinner, they find themselves witness to a controlled avalanche which comes a little too close for comfort. But when this happens a split second decision is made; a decision which clearly bothers the wife more than her husband, as (through conversation) she is forced (and forces herself) to relive the event over and over again; a decision that will slowly begin to snowball in the days that follow, causing this happy family to question everything which up to that point had bonded them together.

While this premise sounds like the makings of a fascinating social experiment (and it is, for a time) the issue with "Force Majeure" lies in its overlong runtime. The fateful event happens in the first 15 minutes and the effects of this event begin immediately after that. Yet this is a 2 hours plus movie. And thus, at around the one hour mark I remembered thinking to myself, "OK, I got it. This is an interesting experiment, but wrap it up already." The direction from Ruben Ostlund is definitely a high point, as was the cinematography, both which really capture the beauty as well as the tremendous force of this films natural backdrop. And yes, there are a few interesting moments in the latter half of this movie, but even these become repetitious. And as it all leads up to an obnoxiously ambiguous ending anyway, with seemingly nothing to say about events which proceeded it, it's safe to say that "Force Majeure" would have made a better short.

Final Thought: Despite what most critics were predicting, "Force Majeure" did not receive a 2015 Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. And, in this reviewer's opinion, did not deserve one. So with that said, this late lukewarm review will undoubtedly mean nothing and furthermore is one nobody will likely read anyway.

This was billed as "wickedly funny" and a "dark comedy" but I never laughed once. It's not a terrible movie, but it is decidedly not funny. It's borderline depressing much of the time to be honest.