You Save: $22.12 (74%) Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Editorial Comments
Amazon.com: A chance meeting leads to unlikely encounters between a Jewish psychiatrist and a young neo-Nazi in this subtitled Swedish drama. After a tussle with some fellow skinheads, Sören boards a train, and is approached by Jacob, who finds himself fascinated by the young man. The psychiatrist asks the young man to come to his office, and a series of meetings ensue. Sören, whose life consists of working out in his room, listening to heavy metal, and participating in violent attacks with his skinhead gang, thinks he is preparing himself for racial warfare. Jacob's perspective couldn't be more different, as his father and sister were killed at Auschwitz after he and his mother escaped from the Nazis. Much of the film consists of their tense conversations, and when Jacob reveals his Jewishness to Sören, the reaction is explosive. The doctor, who is haunted by his own memories, doggedly tries to make the young racist explain why he hates so many people. The film portrays in a realistic manner how the two might get along in a strained fashion, and is honest in its depiction of how they never come close to understanding each other. --Robert J. McNamara
Swedish objectivity allows honesty and tenderness Tala! Det är så mörkt uses a chance meeting between a Jewish therapist and a wounded skinhead to illustrate the complexities of hate and movements which are fueled by its latent explosiveness. The story is simple. Sören (Simon Norrthon) is a Swedish youth who identifies with skinhead culture. Violence is his favourite way of communicating. As played by Norrthon, Sören projects a tangled web of confusion, fear, hatred, and menace. Along with Ryan Gosling's performance in "the Believer", this is a superb portrayal of racist pscychology.
Sören is initially running from his own gang. He takes refuge on a train and meets Jacob (Etienne Glaser), a kindly Jewish doctor who helps Sören and provides his card--stating that they boy should come and see him the next day. The rest of the movie is made up mostly of conversations bewteen the two. Discussions center around hatred, immigration, racism, and the role of the parental unit in fostering violence in children. Flashbacks give us images of Jacob's tortured youth. The intensity of some of the scenes between the two is spellbinding. Norrthon is simply demonic in his mannerisms. He's so manic and physical--he must always keep his body active during the meetings with the doctor. To me, this suggests an animality that is not properly contained. It isn't under control, something that Sören fears most of all. One is never quite certain if and when he might go off and do something truly terrible. Norrthon is so dynamic and arresting that he brings a kind of erotic aestheticsm to his performance that cannot be dismissed.
I like this film because it's agenda is subtly effective and doesn't interfere with the story. It is clear that skinhead violence is portrayed pejoratively, but the filmmakers seem more interested in presenting a study of the intricate psychological forces that have influenced the international neo-nazi/fascist uprising amongst the youth. Sweden is just one country that has been affected by the inevitable backlash by various groups against policies of increased immigration.
Ultimately, there are no cheap solutions offered in this film. There are debates about the factuality of the Holocaust--a most thorny subject, for sure. Yet, the film doesn't dwell on this obvious point of contention between the young Nazi, who identifies with cleanliness and order, and the Jewish doctor, who fled Nazi Germany as a boy. His boat came to Sweden and so he bacame Swedish. This is something that Sören respects, after a fashion. It is all the other filthy, dangerous immigrants who are the real problem facing a once racially pure Sweden.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
