A very hard, I mean HARD, to watch disturbing film on so many levels that absolutely don't recommend it to the weak of heart and/or those that don't like to watch all kinds of graphic scenes (including -but not only- sex scenes). Still, absolutely one film not to miss if you enjoyed Noomi Rapace in the three Millennium movies with the most incredible performance as Lisbeth Salander.
This film is all about Noomi Rapace performance as Anna and she's almost in every scene, if not all. There are many scenes where she's looking at the camera in very-close close-ups, so close that you can see her face skin pores. Her performance is absolutely impressive, so real that makes the movie so believable and completely makes more disturbing the already disturbing story.
Is a film that I know will confuse many, but to me everything that happens in Anna's auditions is what happened to her for real which only adds irony to her not getting the roles she's audition for. The layered story is about a young woman that wants to be an actress so leaves Sweden for Copenhagen only to get pregnant and have a child that will complicate her desire to be an actress enormously. While story unravels, you will start to go crazy with the child crying and don't doubt that very soon you'll know what will happen as probably you thought about it first. After the unthinkable happens everything is a downfall as she loses total control of her actions and her life in general.
This film has so many references to one of my favorite films, Ingmar Bergman's Persona, that I tend to think that Simon Staho, director and co writer, with this movie did his own homage to Bergman's classic. This is another reason why you should watch this film if you haven't watch it by now. Can't help but to mention that while this is a Danish production with a Danish director, the film looks and feels like excellent Swedish cinema.
For this magnificent role and performance Noomi Rapace won the Best Actress Award at the 2008 Bodil Awards and the 2008 Robert Awards, plus the film got 7 nominations in both awards.
Do I recommend the film? Yes I do, but be prepared for VERY HARD to watch visuals and story. Absolutely not a film to enjoy, but to keep the ratings here goes the closing line.
Enjoy!!!
Watch trailer @Movie On Companion