Don't ask me why, it can't be explained, but I just love this flick. I found myself laughing irresistibly during any number of scenes because of the absurdist elements the director Roy Andersson decides to focus on. Along with the theme expressed in my summary line, which was a staple of the two novelty salesmen, a recurring thought throughout the film had various characters stating that they were 'happy to hear you're doing fine'. It was mentioned in various iterations a minimum of nine times by my count, even though we never get to see what the person on the other end of the line was supposed to be feeling fine about.
What's clever are the scenes within scenes, as in the segment of an official looking gentleman missing an appointment while through the window of a cafe we see a distraught dance teacher reacting to her rejection by a male student, this a continuation of an earlier sequence. Andersson blends the surreal with the mundane in such a way that one can't help contemplate the absurdity of existence. How else to explain the drunken accordionist being refused entry to his own apartment until he sobers up?
Without even checking the negative reviews on this board, I knew that there would be plenty of folks who wouldn't care for this picture, casting aside it's absurdist framework and failing to see the hysterical randomness of existence that the director chooses to portray. Personally, I wouldn't have even attempted to assign meaning to any of the scenes, but if you look up the comments of reviewer 'kboote', you may pick up some insights that you weren't even aware you had.
When the film opened, it mentioned that this was the third part of a trilogy of movies, though that doesn't seem to be confirmed by anything on this site, or stated by Andersson in the brief bio page attached to this film. Perhaps one can make the case with some of the prior films he's directed, but not having seen them I can only speculate. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to get hold of them if they offer the same kind of illuminating and hysterical insight.
What's clever are the scenes within scenes, as in the segment of an official looking gentleman missing an appointment while through the window of a cafe we see a distraught dance teacher reacting to her rejection by a male student, this a continuation of an earlier sequence. Andersson blends the surreal with the mundane in such a way that one can't help contemplate the absurdity of existence. How else to explain the drunken accordionist being refused entry to his own apartment until he sobers up?
Without even checking the negative reviews on this board, I knew that there would be plenty of folks who wouldn't care for this picture, casting aside it's absurdist framework and failing to see the hysterical randomness of existence that the director chooses to portray. Personally, I wouldn't have even attempted to assign meaning to any of the scenes, but if you look up the comments of reviewer 'kboote', you may pick up some insights that you weren't even aware you had.
When the film opened, it mentioned that this was the third part of a trilogy of movies, though that doesn't seem to be confirmed by anything on this site, or stated by Andersson in the brief bio page attached to this film. Perhaps one can make the case with some of the prior films he's directed, but not having seen them I can only speculate. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to get hold of them if they offer the same kind of illuminating and hysterical insight.