Friday, January 21, 2011

Sundance report: Are you watching wrestling again?

Norwegian night at Sundance continues with a delightful movie called Happy, Happy directed by Anne Sewitsky and written by Ragnhild Tronvoll.  If a wife walks into the bedroom where her husband is watching hot guys wrestling on TV, and she casually comments, "Are you watching wrestling again?" you know there's a closeted gay man in the movie. 


But that statement does a disservice to this wonderful film.  It's movies like this that keep me coming back to Sundance.  It was a complex story told simply.  It presented a cold, bleak environment shown with warmth and beauty.  And the acting was superb.  I love story telling this good.


Here's a story of two couples brought together by unexpected circumstances.  Kaja is the optimistic wife married to closeted Erik. They haven't had sex in a long time.  Elisabeth and Sigve have moved to this faraway place because Elisabeth cheated on her husband.  That creates sexual tension that can only result in a great story.


This is a movie that should have one of those depressing Sundance endings.  But somehow it doesn't.  This movie made me fight back tears more than once.  That's largely due to the great script and directing.  But it's also due to some brilliant acting by Agnes Kittelsen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Maibritt Saerens, and Joachim Rafaelsen.


Finally, I have to comment on the music.  The choral scenes with Kaja were beautiful and emotional.  And how about that hot quartet of male singers that provided interludes throughout the movie.  Their old-timey gospel songs, their slim cut suits, and their strangely relevant lyrics made this move sparkle. Where can I get the soundtrack? 


If you get the chance, see this movie.





1 comment:

  1. I loved this film. It was charming! Although the scenes with the songs were a little disturbing, and I had a hard time relating them to the main story line.

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