Together

Rating:
Summary: This movie is sooo good...
Review: "Together" is a film about a Swedish commune in the 1970s. Life as usual (or unusual) is interrupted when Goren's sister calls to say she's leaving her husband and asks if she can move in with her two children. The collision of this former simple housewife and her two impressionable children with the grab bag bunch of misfits that call the commune home changes everyone and everything.

I enjoyed Moodysson's interpretation of the word "together" throughout the film: in the relationships of the different characters (the zealot socialist, the lesbian, the extreme pacifist, the recalcitrant husband, the lonely divorcee, the perfect housewife and husband), how perceptions of acceptable and unacceptable are questioned (lightly) and how no one seems to have all of the answers.

"Together" reminded me of what it was like to be a kid looking at the oddness of adulthood, and the brother and sister dragged to the commune by their mom do seem to wonder at the simplistic idealism of grown-ups; how little they seemed to understand; how many mistakes and embarrassing things grown-ups seemed to do.

I laughed often, but I was also moved by how Moodysson could capture the simplicity and wonder of two people connecting. A very worthy film.

Rating:
Summary: This movie is sooo good...
Review: "Together" is a film about a Swedish commune in the 1970s. Life as usual (or unusual) is interrupted when Goren's sister calls to say she's leaving her husband and asks if she can move in with her two children. The collision of this former simple housewife and her two impressionable children with the grab bag bunch of misfits that call the commune home changes everyone and everything.

I enjoyed Moodysson's interpretation of the word "together" throughout the film: in the relationships of the different characters (the zealot socialist, the lesbian, the extreme pacifist, the recalcitrant husband, the lonely divorcee, the perfect housewife and husband), how perceptions of acceptable and unacceptable are questioned (lightly) and how no one seems to have all of the answers.

"Together" reminded me of what it was like to be a kid looking at the oddness of adulthood, and the brother and sister dragged to the commune by their mom do seem to wonder at the simplistic idealism of grown-ups; how little they seemed to understand; how many mistakes and embarrassing things grown-ups seemed to do.

I laughed often, but I was also moved by how Moodysson could capture the simplicity and wonder of two people connecting. A very worthy film.

Rating:
Summary: Well-Made Comedy Drama from the Director of "Show Me Love"
Review: (Not ot be confused with another great film of the same name, directed by Chinese master Chen Kaige.)

"Together" is the second film by Lukas Moodysson, who gave us very charming film "Show Me Love." (If you have not seen it, you are just missing a great thing.) Here, Moodysson tackles different theme, a small commune in 1975 in Sweden, in which their ideals are tested by the new members of the place.

The film starts when a mother Elizabeth left her home with two children, Eva and Stefan, because of the perpetual violence of the drunkard husband. Now, the plot sounds heavy, but this film never gets too serious, so we are quickly introduced to the commune named "Together" where many colorful people are living. They are Erik, young radical student whose ideas go ridiculously too far; Anna, feminist turned lesbian who likes meditating; Goran, who is too kind-hearted (or timid) to tell what he realy thinks, Lena, whose idea of Free Love is a real suspect, and others, including a boy Tet (named after the event of the war in Vietnam) who plays with Stefan, doing "mock-torturing."

Now join the distraught wife Elizabeth and Eva and Stefan. The film tells how the commune react to them (and them to the commune) in a light touch, with many episodes. The general tone of the film is that of a well-made comedy, though for American audience some of the contents are very radical (nudity included). It's a Swedish film, after all.

The most impressive part is, like the previous "Show Me Love," the kids. Eva and the boy living across the street establish a budding relation which might be called love, and their embarrassed feelings towards the unique adults are implied very delicately in the apparently small things -- like staying all the day in a small van (which looks like the one you see in "Scooby-Doo").

And what I liked most is the sly touch of the film, which suggests that the commune is not going to last forever. I do not talk about the ending, but from the beginning you find that the community of the kind -- hippies denying any kind of commercialism, like TV or soft drink -- belongs to the things of the past. Like the music of ABBA, it's definitely 70s. And that's why they look charming, looking back from now.

You may find some of the characters annoying, but the film is delightful enough to make them, if not likeable, certainly irresitible. "Together" has that kind of power, which comples you to keep watching.

Rating:
Summary: Well-Made Comedy Drama from the Director of "Show Me Love"
Review: (Not ot be confused with another great film of the same name, directed by Chinese master Chen Kaige.)

"Together" is the second film by Lukas Moodysson, who gave us very charming film "Show Me Love." (If you have not seen it, you are just missing a great thing.) Here, Moodysson tackles different theme, a small commune in 1975 in Sweden, in which their ideals are tested by the new members of the place.

The film starts when a mother Elizabeth left her home with two children, Eva and Stefan, because of the perpetual violence of the drunkard husband. Now, the plot sounds heavy, but this film never gets too serious, so we are quickly introduced to the commune named "Together" where many colorful people are living. They are Erik, young radical student whose ideas go ridiculously too far; Anna, feminist turned lesbian who likes meditating; Goran, who is too kind-hearted (or timid) to tell what he realy thinks, Lena, whose idea of Free Love is a real suspect, and others, including a boy Tet (named after the event of the war in Vietnam) who plays with Stefan, doing "mock-torturing."

Now join the distraught wife Elizabeth and Eva and Stefan. The film tells how the commune react to them (and them to the commune) in a light touch, with many episodes. The general tone of the film is that of a well-made comedy, though for American audience some of the contents are very radical (nudity included). It's a Swedish film, after all.

The most impressive part is, like the previous "Show Me Love," the kids. Eva and the boy living across the street establish a budding relation which might be called love, and their embarrassed feelings towards the unique adults are implied very delicately in the apparently small things -- like staying all the day in a small van (which looks like the one you see in "Scooby-Doo").

And what I liked most is the sly touch of the film, which suggests that the commune is not going to last forever. I do not talk about the ending, but from the beginning you find that the community of the kind -- hippies denying any kind of commercialism, like TV or soft drink -- belongs to the things of the past. Like the music of ABBA, it's definitely 70s. And that's why they look charming, looking back from now.

You may find some of the characters annoying, but the film is delightful enough to make them, if not likeable, certainly irresitible. "Together" has that kind of power, which comples you to keep watching.

Rating:
Summary: Well-Made Comedy Drama from the Director of "Show Me Love"
Review: (Not ot be confused with another great film of the same name, directed by Chinese master Chen Kaige.)

"Together" is the second film by Lukas Moodysson, who gave us very charming film "Show Me Love." (If you have not seen it, you are just missing a great thing.) Here, Moodysson tackles different theme, a small commune in 1975 in Sweden, in which their ideals are tested by the new members of the place.

The film starts when a mother Elizabeth left her home with two children, Eva and Stefan, because of the perpetual violence of the drunkard husband. Now, the plot sounds heavy, but this film never gets too serious, so we are quickly introduced to the commune named "Together" where many colorful people are living. They are Erik, young radical student whose ideas go ridiculously too far; Anna, feminist turned lesbian who likes meditating; Goran, who is too kind-hearted (or timid) to tell what he realy thinks, Lena, whose idea of Free Love is a real suspect, and others, including a boy Tet (named after the event of the war in Vietnam) who plays with Stefan, doing "mock-torturing."

Now join the distraught wife Elizabeth and Eva and Stefan. The film tells how the commune react to them (and them to the commune) in a light touch, with many episodes. The general tone of the film is that of a well-made comedy, though for American audience some of the contents are very radical (nudity included). It's a Swedish film, after all.

The most impressive part is, like the previous "Show Me Love," the kids. Eva and the boy living across the street establish a budding relation which might be called love, and their embarrassed feelings towards the unique adults are implied very delicately in the apparently small things -- like staying all the day in a small van (which looks like the one you see in "Scooby-Doo").

And what I liked most is the sly touch of the film, which suggests that the commune is not going to last forever. I do not talk about the ending, but from the beginning you find that the community of the kind -- hippies denying any kind of commercialism, like TV or soft drink -- belongs to the things of the past. Like the music of ABBA, it's definitely 70s. And that's why they look charming, looking back from now.

You may find some of the characters annoying, but the film is delightful enough to make them, if not likeable, certainly irresitible. "Together" has that kind of power, which comples you to keep watching.

Rating:
Summary: Pleasent
Review: A pleasing movie with both funny and sad scenes. The end will leave you misty eyed. Moodysson has done it again.

Rating:
Summary: "Tillsammans"
Review: A very strange movie indeed, I had the good fortune to work on the subtitles for the forthcoming DVD, and I was surprised by how sincere and natural all of the performances were, even the children. The basic premise here is that a battered wife leaves her husband and takes her daughter and son to live with her brother, who lives in a small house with other assorted communal hippies. (This all takes place in Sweden during the 70s by the way)
The best parts of the movie involve the characters' reactions when the reality of life clashes with their communist ideals. Take Goran for instance, who is only happy to involve himself in an "open" relationship with his girlfriend, until the reality of it sets in. His growing inability to deal with this leads to a truly volcanic (and cathartic) eruption. Tom Wolfe's idea of radical chic is wonderfully played out when the mother falls under the influence of the resident lesbian--she lets her armpit hair grow out and goes on from there. The lesbian, in turn, is divorced from Lasse, who is being pursued by Klas, an effeminate fellow who is also on a conversion crusade. The movie is filled with great music and great performances, and though it has some shocking moments, it's worth the time.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful film--Worth the price of admission
Review: Being a huge fan of Moodysson's other well-known film "Show Me Love", I was a bit leary of seeing "Together", but I was also curious about whether he would be a consistently fine director. Curiousity satisfied--this movie is wonderful! Very different kind of story from that of "Show Me Love", but the character studies and the caliber of the actors is equally amazing. Its funny, and sweet, and thought provoking without being a preachy "message film". Definitely worth spending a few hours at the theater!

Rating:
Summary: FINALLY!!!!
Review: Geez!!! i have been looking for this DVD for 2 and a half months now and today i finally stumbled across it literally at BestBuy!!! yay for me!!! but, seriously, this is an amzing movie about love and change. It is gorgeously shot and written and directed...if you love real film, this is definitely worth more than just a look! It is a very warm movie that makes you happy and by the time you reach the end, you'll be left with a warm smile on your face and a glow in your heart. Do not pass this movie up, especially if you have the chance to see it. If you like foreign films, smart films, happy films and warm films, this is for you!!!

Rating:
Summary: FINALLY!!!!
Review: Geez!!! i have been looking for this DVD for 2 and a half months now and today i finally stumbled across it literally at BestBuy!!! yay for me!!! but, seriously, this is an amzing movie about love and change. It is gorgeously shot and written and directed...if you love real film, this is definitely worth more than just a look! It is a very warm movie that makes you happy and by the time you reach the end, you'll be left with a warm smile on your face and a glow in your heart. Do not pass this movie up, especially if you have the chance to see it. If you like foreign films, smart films, happy films and warm films, this is for you!!!