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As the abrasive Bussi, Blondal has a lot of fun abusing everyone he encounters, while Einarsson deploys his textbook good looks to perfect effect as Hordur, a man much more at ease with his sexuality. So when Bussi finally overcomes his machismo and opens up, the romance is surprisingly involving. And Hordur has a newsflash: "It's 2021 and nobody cares." Throughout the movie, they're surrounded by actors who skilfully play up the nuttier sides of their roles, especially Haraldsson's properly unhinged villain.

Filmmaker Halldorsson strikes a smart balance of action violence and blackly comical pastiche with a disarmingly engaging odyssey of self-discovery. The thriller plot is the most obvious element, and it often swamps the film completely, including several major twists along the way to an elaborate climactic set-piece during which Rikki's nefarious plan finally reveals itself. But the best thing is that, by then, we have more important things on our minds. And the filmmakers hold back a series of punchlines for the end.

themes, language, violence

6.Oct.21

The actors interact with natural ease, with the parents and grandmother sharing stories from their pasts and children working to make sense of the changing world. Labaki has strong screen presence as Soraya, an astute, observant woman who has happily gone along with her husband's dream, but has a change of heart when it becomes a nightmare. This allows Bakri to give Walid a soulful yearning, lamenting the fact that he might not be able to stay off-the-grid forever and raise his daughters to be wild and free.

Writer-director Aki keeps the focus finely on the family dynamic, allowing the political ideas, including Walid and Soraya's past as frontline activists, to sit in the background. And brief moments of magic offer glimpses into thoughts and feelings, images of the world as they see it rather than perhaps how it has turned out to be. This adds a lovely layer to the idea of a whole nation that has gone off the rails, making the film less of a rant against injustice than a cry for a more hopeful future.

themes, language

9.Oct.21 lff

In a cast of first-time actors, Scicluna has terrific presence on-screen, with movie-star looks and expressive physicality. It's a wonderfully understated performance that subtly reveals Jesmark's thoughts and feelings. He's especially strong in naturalistic scenes alongside his real-life cousin David. And his interaction with Farrugia is authentically warm, while also infused with the tension of their prevarious situation, especially when the superbly passive-aggressive Cauchi as Denise's mother is around.

The film's observant approach pulls us into Jesmark's life, peppering scenes with telling details that highlight his hopes and fears, as well as the gritty truth of having an old-world job in a present day that often feels cruel. All he wants to do is take care of his family like he's always been told a man should do. The moving truth is that he wants his son to grow up like him, but maybe it's time for traditions to change. And that's a very bitter pill to swallow for a young man who's proud of his legacy.

themes, language

6.Oct.21