Undir trénu (2017)

When Baldwin and Inga's next door neighbours complain that a tree in their backyard casts a shadow over their sundeck, what starts off as a typical spat between neighbours in the suburbs unexpectedly and violently spirals out of control.

Director:

Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson

Writers:

Huldar Breiðfjörð (story and screenplay), Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson (screenplay)

Stars:

Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson, Edda Björgvinsdóttir, Sigurður Sigurjónsson

15 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson	...	Atli
Edda Björgvinsdóttir	...	Inga
Sigurður Sigurjónsson	...	Baldvin
Þorsteinn Bachmann	...	Konrad
Selma Björnsdóttir	...	Eybjorg
Lára Jóhanna Jónsdóttir	...	Agnes
Dóra Jóhannsdóttir	...	Rakel
Sigrídur Sigurpálsdóttir Scheving	...	Asa

Storyline

Agnes throws Atli out and does not want him to see their daughter Ása anymore. He moves in with his parents, who are involved in a bitter dispute over their big and beautiful tree that casts a shadow on the neighbours' deck. As Atli fights for the right to see his daughter, the dispute with the neighbours intensifies - property is damaged, pets mysteriously go missing, security cameras are being installed and there is a rumor that the neighbor was seen with a chainsaw.

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Plot Keywords:

tree | chainsaw | tent | ikea | school | 

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Taglines:

Two Families. One Tree. A Bloody Mess.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Country:

Iceland Poland Denmark Germany France

Language:

Icelandic

Release Date:

6 July 2018 (USA)

Also Known As:

Under the Tree

Box Office

Budget:

ISK 250,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,617, 8 July 2018, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$67,596, 6 September 2018

Company Credits

Production Co:

Netop Films,DI Factory,Det Danske Filminstitut

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Color:

Color (DCP)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

-It was selected as the Icelandic entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.

User Reviews

Hilarious, unsettling, and thought-provoking

Atli is pushed out of his home by wife Agnes after she discovers him watching a sex tape that features him. He tries desperately to talk to her and get time with their daughter Asa at her kindergarten, but his behavior turns stalker-ish. Atli has crashed at his parents' place: Baldvin and Inga have commenced a fight with their neighbors over a tree in their yard that the neighbors, Konrad and trim young second wife Eybjorg, complain throws too much shade on their deck.

All the characters misread situations, let their anger push them to escalate in vengeful responses, and often give one another good advice which nobody follows. It might be misleading to call "Under the Tree" a dark comedy, because although it is often hilarious and even approaches over-the-top farce at times, the plot raises multiple serious issues its fairly believable yet inexorable way, from aging and mental health, to grief and the fatal consequences of failing to speak up when one should.

Coolly but beautifully shot, and fiercely acted, especially the unsavory roles portrayed by Steinþórsson as Atli and Björgvinsdóttir as his fierce and cruel mother Inga, this is a startling story that does not take any easy turns.