Before our screening, we got a little intro about this film. They purposefully said very little about the film. But more on why they chose it. So that little promo was a nice tease that had me excited to see what we're about to be transported to.
Early on, I was already detecting quirky Swedish comedy which is not unusual as well as some intruiging fantasy elements.
As the story developed, there were moments that kept teasing what actually these strange occurrences mean.
Every time when I thought I'd figured it out, the story kept giving us more development that threw me off the scent.
Whilst all that was happening, there was a moving and charming character-driven story happening right in the middle of it.
If you can overcome the shock of that revelation, then you get rewarded with a surprisingly touching finale, then ended with a round of applause at the end of my screening.
The performance by Eva Melander is quite brilliant. Right from the opening scene, she's already made me laugh and captivated by why her characters looks the way she looks. Melander carried this film really well and is probably the films biggest strength.
When Eero Milonoff arrives on-screen, his chemistry Melander's gave some nice character moments for the remainder of the film, no matter how dark it sometimes gets at the end.
I also have to mention an understated supporting performance by Sten Ljunggren, who like Milonoff had some surprisingly sweet and emotional moments with Leander's character.
Other strong aspects of the film was the general look of it, the woodland location and the impressive effects it has at the end. Whether it was practical or CGI, I'm not quite sure. Either way, it surprised me how good it came out in the end.
No real negatives to speak of. The story is not usually for me, so the re-watchability factor might not be strong from a personal perspective.
This is certainly one of those films that will make you go, "just when you thought you saw it all".
Obviously, you can expect mainstream audiences to naturally feel alienated by this. But like with anything, if you give it a chance and embrace it, this weirdly charming story can most definitely win you over.
Rating: 8/10
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