"Quake" is based on the book "Grand Mal" written by the esteemed Icelandic writer Audur Jonsdottir, which has been turned into a wonderful film by director and screenwriter Tinna Hrafnsdottir.
The film begins in a park, where the main character, Saga, a mother in her late thirties is walking with her 6-year-old son where she is hit by a sudden epileptic seizure. An epileptic seizure causes Saga to lose her memory and wake up in a hospital which develops an unexpected chain of events.
Saga fears that her son will be taken from her because of the memory loss and will desperately try to hide the memory loss and her confusion from her family. Step by step, the repressed memories and experiences of her childhood begin to emerge, revealing the painful truth about Saga's family and her own trauma. Gradually, Saga puts all the pieces of the puzzle together and this journey helps her getting rid of the painful past and making peace with herself.
I really liked the way the director gave the viewer food for thought about the facts and reasons Saga was trying to recall. Tinna Hrafnsdottir didn't spell it out to the viewer, but offered excitement until the end of the film. She fed the viewer pieces that turned into a beautiful, perfect mosaic when the story ended. The director gave hope that no matter what secrets one family has, getting from denial to acceptance is a journey worth visiting.
I think there are a lot of people and families where serious things are not talked about, they are either buried, pushed into memory somewhere far away, hidden, and this often leads to psychological traumas. It is these traumas that the film talks about, how one event reveals the painful secrets and denials of the whole family. Tinna Hrafnsdottir does this delicately and without blaming those involved, simply telling the story of a family's secrets, intertwining forgiveness and hope.
The acting was great! Anita Briem, who plays the film's protagonist Saga, has added fragility and strength to the role of the Saga. She is fragile after an epileptic seizure and when she does not understand exactly what are the flashes of the images emerging in her brain, and she is at the same time strong when she continues to search for answers with determination and courage. As the director used a lot of close-ups, they beautifully brought out the emotions of Saga, played by Anita Briem - fear, confusion, pain, as well as understanding and forgiveness.
Edda Björgvinsdottir, who played Saga's mother in the film, was also sympathetic. At the beginning of the film, I didn't understand how Saga's mother could be so cold and unaffected about her daughter, and when the truth finally came out, I, as a viewer, understood why she was like that. We all have our reasons and they are often hidden. In her role, Björgvinsdottir highlighted how one mother copes with pain. As individuals, we all react and deal with our problems differently, some deny the trauma, some break down under it and some people bury everything. Her role showed the latter most accurately, protecting both her family and herself.
Johann Sigurdsson, who played the father of Saga, was a perfect example of a loving father whose actions of youth had left him with deep wounds and guilt and who was obviously trying to redeem himself because of them. I especially liked how he thought that the soup pot and soup could solve all the world's problems in a peaceful way!
I cannot fail to mention that the director and screenwriter Tinna Hrafnsdottir also did a good and heartwarming role as Saga's sister Johanna in the film.
In short, "Quake" is a great drama, a family story, in which each person breaks through the connection with the painful past in their own way. I highly recommend going to this movie if possible!
The film begins in a park, where the main character, Saga, a mother in her late thirties is walking with her 6-year-old son where she is hit by a sudden epileptic seizure. An epileptic seizure causes Saga to lose her memory and wake up in a hospital which develops an unexpected chain of events.
Saga fears that her son will be taken from her because of the memory loss and will desperately try to hide the memory loss and her confusion from her family. Step by step, the repressed memories and experiences of her childhood begin to emerge, revealing the painful truth about Saga's family and her own trauma. Gradually, Saga puts all the pieces of the puzzle together and this journey helps her getting rid of the painful past and making peace with herself.
I really liked the way the director gave the viewer food for thought about the facts and reasons Saga was trying to recall. Tinna Hrafnsdottir didn't spell it out to the viewer, but offered excitement until the end of the film. She fed the viewer pieces that turned into a beautiful, perfect mosaic when the story ended. The director gave hope that no matter what secrets one family has, getting from denial to acceptance is a journey worth visiting.
I think there are a lot of people and families where serious things are not talked about, they are either buried, pushed into memory somewhere far away, hidden, and this often leads to psychological traumas. It is these traumas that the film talks about, how one event reveals the painful secrets and denials of the whole family. Tinna Hrafnsdottir does this delicately and without blaming those involved, simply telling the story of a family's secrets, intertwining forgiveness and hope.
The acting was great! Anita Briem, who plays the film's protagonist Saga, has added fragility and strength to the role of the Saga. She is fragile after an epileptic seizure and when she does not understand exactly what are the flashes of the images emerging in her brain, and she is at the same time strong when she continues to search for answers with determination and courage. As the director used a lot of close-ups, they beautifully brought out the emotions of Saga, played by Anita Briem - fear, confusion, pain, as well as understanding and forgiveness.
Edda Björgvinsdottir, who played Saga's mother in the film, was also sympathetic. At the beginning of the film, I didn't understand how Saga's mother could be so cold and unaffected about her daughter, and when the truth finally came out, I, as a viewer, understood why she was like that. We all have our reasons and they are often hidden. In her role, Björgvinsdottir highlighted how one mother copes with pain. As individuals, we all react and deal with our problems differently, some deny the trauma, some break down under it and some people bury everything. Her role showed the latter most accurately, protecting both her family and herself.
Johann Sigurdsson, who played the father of Saga, was a perfect example of a loving father whose actions of youth had left him with deep wounds and guilt and who was obviously trying to redeem himself because of them. I especially liked how he thought that the soup pot and soup could solve all the world's problems in a peaceful way!
I cannot fail to mention that the director and screenwriter Tinna Hrafnsdottir also did a good and heartwarming role as Saga's sister Johanna in the film.
In short, "Quake" is a great drama, a family story, in which each person breaks through the connection with the painful past in their own way. I highly recommend going to this movie if possible!
