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Ondskan
(2003)
  
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Director:
Mikael
Håfström |
COUNTRY
Sweden |
GENRE
Drama |
NORWEGIAN
TITLE
Ondskapen |
RUNNING
TIME
113
minutes |
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Producer:
Ingemar
Leijonborg
Hans Lönnerheden |
Screenwriter
(from the novel by Jan Guillou):
Hans Gunnarson
Mikael Håfström |
Review
This semi-autobiographical story from
writer Jan Guillou about private school education in the 1950s Sweden
has a raw, edgy nature that makes it a powerful dramatic character
study. Unfortunately, the film is somewhat flawed by simplified
supporting characters and a lack of consistent directing by Mikael
Håfström who cannot maintain a thin red line to make out in what light
the film ultimately should be viewed. Is it a political comment? What is
its ethical position? Håfström offers no answers to these and similar
questions. The film obviously wants the viewer to make up his own mind,
but the film is almost cynically provocative in order to get us there.
That narrows Ondskan down to a
periodic and characterological portrait, but it is at times a very
poignant one. Leading actor Andreas Wilson is a great talent, although
he secludes a bit too much here, and the production looks brilliant,
taking us wonderfully back to a time and an environment that is of
undoubted interest. Ondskan was nominated for best foreign
language film at the 2004 Academy Awards.
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