This is the first feature film that Baltasar Kormákur wrote and directed, although he was already well-known as an actor at the time it was produced (2000). Hlynur (played by the versatile and talented Hilmir Snær Guðnason) is the anti-hero: 30 years old and unemployed, still living at home with his mother, an outsider who can't seem to connect with people except through drinking and/or sex. While Hlynur is having trouble coping with the most basic parts of his existence, his mother complicates things by bringing home her incredibly sexy lesbian lover. And we thought Hlynur was confused before.
I enjoyed 101 more the first time I watched it: the surprises were intact, the humor fresh, each lovely shot of Reykjavík a visual treat. It features excellent acting and great music. On my second viewing I found myself wishing for more nuance and subtlety. Nevertheless it's an entertaining film, and one you're not likely to forget.
1 comment:
... I had a "hot pot" conversation in 2004 about that film with a local who was not at all pleased with the film's portrayal of the Reykjavík scene. You are right, it is pretty unforgettable, kind of a sappy ending though...
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