Miraklet i Viskan (2015)

Miraklet i Viskan: Directed by John Olsson. With Rolf Lassgård, Lia Boysen, Evelina Alexandersson, Andrea Wikman. Bjarne runs a moving company together with his wife Malin, but it goes bad and they need to borrow money. Bjarnes father-in-law Halvar lives nearby. The two have never been in agreement which is based on a 20-year old conflict.

“Saw this at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Whilst I didnu0026#39;t enjoy Noeu0026#39;s first film I Stand Alone, I loved Irreversible.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere is lots to like about ETV and much to dislike as well. An hour into the film and I would have given it perhaps an eight or nine but by the end of the film I was frustrated. Why? Noe just canu0026#39;t help himself and you get the feeling he either didnu0026#39;t know how to end the film or simply just wanted to be shocking for the sake of it.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eVisually, I couldnu0026#39;t help but be impressed. Some amazing shots, lighting (strobe) and editing techniques. Noe also mixes up the story well as he did in Irreversible. You are not spoon fed the story and I love the way he told the back story of the two leads.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003ePlenty of people walked out at the screening after the hour and forty minute mark and I couldnu0026#39;t blame them. Probably not because they were shocked but just bored and frustrated. Noe pads this out and it is such a shame as overall it ruined the film as a whole.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe acting is quite wooden and doesnu0026#39;t ring true but that is only a minor quibble when compared to the filmu0026#39;s bloated running time.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHard to fault Noe for his creativity, energy and style and refusal to follow norms in terms of narrative structure etc. Still, I wish a friend or colleague had tapped him on the shoulder or given him some constructive criticism about the last half of the film.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI can only imagine how much footage Noe might add into a Directors Cut – Lord help us. Perhaps he could learn some lessons from this and streamline his storytelling and not feel the need to bludgeon the audience just for the sake of it.”