101 Reykjavík

To be shown: 17 June 2002

Iceland 2000 (subtitles)
100 minutes
Directed by Baltasar Kormákur
Leading players - Victoria Abril, Hilmir Snær, Thrúdur Vilhjálmsdóttir.

Synopsis

A tale of what people do during winter in a country where the sun doesn't shine, snow comes down almost non-stop, and "the only reason why people live here [in Iceland] is because they're born here".

Difficult to summarise as it is all about character and interaction rather than a clearly defined story, this film centres on life as seen through the eyes of a 28-year-old layabout who has yet to take on adult responsibilities, living off benefits and his far too indulgent mother. His life is spent lying in bed, surfing the Internet, and occasionally venturing out of the house to go to the pub.

And then a Spanish flamenco teacher enters his world.

* * * * * *

A combination of humour, pathos and general weirdness is used to good effect in this film, and the director gets stellar performances from his actors. The dialogue is a mixture of Icelandic (subtitled) and English delivered in a bizarre cocktail of Icelandic and Spanish accents which, amazingly, is mostly intelligible!

This is the directing debut of Baltasar Kormákur (also actor and scriptwriter) and, working from an Icelandic novel by Hallgrimur Helgason, he has created a delightful, wry, finely observed comedy.