Force Majeure (2014)

A family vacationing in the French Alps is confronted with a devastating avalanche.

Director:

Ruben Östlund

Writer:

Ruben Östlund

Stars:

Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Clara Wettergren

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 31 wins & 37 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Johannes Kuhnke	...	Tomas (as Johannes Bah Kuhnke)
Lisa Loven Kongsli	...	Ebba
Clara Wettergren	...	Vera
Vincent Wettergren	...	Harry
Kristofer Hivju	...	Mats
Fanni Metelius	...	Fanny
Karin Myrenberg	...	Charlotte (as Karin Myrenberg Faber)
Brady Corbet	...	Amerikanen
Johannes Moustos	...	Stadaren
Jorge Lattof	...	Tomba
Adrian Heinisch	...	Busschauffören
Michael Breitenberger	...	Rökande mannen
Karl Pincon	...	Turistfotografen (as Karl Pinçon)
Julie Roumogoux	...	Snowboardparet (as Julie Roumegoux)
Peter Gaunt	...	Snowboardparet

Storyline

A Swedish family travels to the French Alps to enjoy a few days of skiing. The sun is shining and the slopes are spectacular but, during a lunch at a mountainside restaurant, an avalanche turns everything upside down. With diners fleeing in all directions, mother Ebba calls for her husband Tomas as she tries to protect their children. Tomas, meanwhile, is running for his life... The anticipated disaster failed to occur, and yet the family's world has been shaken to its core, a question mark hanging over their father in particular. Tomas and Ebba's marriage now hangs in the balance as Tomas struggles desperately to reclaim his role as family patriarch.

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Plot Keywords:

skiing holiday | matronizing | passive aggressive woman | emotionally abusive wife | martyress syndrome | 

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Taglines:

The consequences in the fear and flight situation.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and brief nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [France]

Country:

Sweden France Norway Denmark

Language:

Swedish English French Norwegian

Release Date:

30 December 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tourist

Filming Locations:

Les Arcs, Savoie, France

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,358,561

Company Credits

Production Co:

BLS Business Location Südtirol-Alto Adige, Beofilm, Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Ruben Östlund acquired inspiration for some scenes in the screenplay from real footage on YouTube. For example, the avalanche which serves as a momentum early in the story was inspired by a video Östlund found on YouTube, and a performance by a 12-year-old accordionist of Vivaldi's "Summer" was taken directly from a YouTube clip and played repeatedly throughout the film.

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Goofs

At about 1.50 minutes in as the bus is going down the switch backs, as they approach the final switchback the bus gets stuck on the retaining wall is solid. When the passengers get off and watch the bus back up the wall is crenelated concrete.

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Quotes

Fanni: There's nothing in your head that you haven't said!

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Connections

Featured in 72nd Golden Globe Awards (2015)

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Soundtracks

Bad Things
Written and performed by Jonas Rudels

User Reviews

Family Vacation without Walley World

Greetings again from the darkness. No one has sung the words "I'm a MAN" better than the great Muddy Waters, but even he would have been unable to bounce back from the ramifications of the split-second reaction of Tomas when things go awry at lunch.

Writer/director Ruben Ostland delivers an intriguing and thought-provoking look at gender roles and the definition and expectations of masculinity, especially within a family. What makes a real man? What is a hero? Is our predilection of survivalist or protector hard-wired into our DNA? And what happens to a relationship when the foundation of respect crumbles? Would you believe this film tackles these emotional issues, and does so in such a brilliant manner, that we often find ourselves chuckling (albeit with a tinge of guilt)?

A family vacation in the French Alps takes a turn when, while lunching on a veranda overlooking the ski slopes, a controlled avalanche goes wrong and the café is threatened. Tomas (Johannes Bah Kuhnke) grabs his phone and goes scurrying for protection, while his wife Ebba (Lisa Loven Kongsli) covers the kids and calls for his help. Both are instinctive reactions, and while one recalls George in a "Seinfeld" episode, the other is more in line with what we expect from a parent.

While the avalanche turns out harmless and the family members are physically fine, the emotional shockwaves of Tomas' actions reverberate through the family ... and even through another couple (Kristofer Hivju, Fanni Metelius). There is a exceptional dinner scene with the two couples which brings the issue to a head, and it's excruciatingly painful and funny to witness. It's terrific story telling and filmmaking and acting.

This is Sweden's submission for Best Foreign Language Oscar, and it must be considered a favorite so far. Though I'm not a huge fan of the final 15 minutes, that doesn't take away from the questions as the characters try to come to grips with the situation. Really nice contrasts between dark humor, disappointment and broken trust.