You, the Living (2007)

Ahhh Nords...funny lot, I like em, they make me laugh. This Swedish piece by Roy Andersson is a whole lot of little vignettes, some of them related, from day to day life. These moments are often mundane, depressing and quite familiar for anyone who claims to be human ( I have a wet pulp of grounded coffee from the bottom of a plunger in place of a heart so I don't count). A lot of them are pretty funny too in that dry, reserved Nordic manner. Andersson appears to have a reasonably dim view of how many of us conduct ourselves but at times he also seems to be celebrating our shortcomings, like hugging an old, pathetic, alcoholic uncle. He's shit but you still love him...well, perhaps you're a bit fond anyway. The drab colors and stark lighting draw out the mostly ordinary circumstances taking place. It took a little while to get into the swing of the pace of things, I wanted more from the scenes to start with but the unconventional structure is a treat once embraced. Please don't be stupid about this ok?
I guess poking a stick at life's awkward and anxious moments is better than slipping a rope around your neck and dropping off a height of approximately 1.5 meters. 
A therapeutic experience.
3.5/5




Roy Anderson has directed a couple of other films that sound like they will be worth tracking down.  'A Swedish Love Story' (1970) and 'Songs From the Second Floor' (2000). The latter is apparently in line with You, the Living but more depressing. Sounds awesome, I'm watching that shit! 
Talking about the Nords, a film I am very keen on is 'The Man Without A Past' (2002) by Finnish director Aki Kaurismåki. This is the second film in his 'Finland' trilogy, each film individual but dealing with the similar theme of the downtrodden. Poor pricks, being homeless in freezing arse Helsinki would suck ice balls. He has made quite a few other films that sound interesting but I'd like to start off by completing the trilogy with 'Drifting Clouds' (1996) and 'Lights in the Dusk' (2006) first. 
I will do my best as you know, I always do.