Maria has found the love of her life: Sigmund, her one true soulmate. He is handsome, confident, and a romantic, the kind of man every woman desires. Maria can hardly believe her luck, that she was the one to win his heart. After seven blissful years together, they’ve had two beautiful children, and Sigmund has lovingly accepted Maria’s two other children from a previous marriage as his own. This perfect family harmony will last forever, right?
Maria faces a complex work situation, while Sigmund’s job requires frequent travel. This has led to Maria being the one who’s left to care for the children and handle all the household chores. The grind of everyday life takes its toll, and what was once a simple and loving relationship has become strained, giving way to frustration and resentment. One day, when Sigmund returns from a business trip, they end up having a bitter argument. Shortly afterward, Sigmund expresses his desire for a divorce.
Lovable (Elskling) is a Norwegian drama film written, directed and edited by Lilja Ingolfsdottir and produced by Nordisk Filmproduksjon. This is Ingolfsdottir’s feature debut, although she is an experienced filmmaker, having previously written and directed around 20 shorts. When Lovable premiered at the festival, it received an exceptionally long standing ovation and extremely positive audience reactions.
Maria is at a loss as her relationship with Sigmund falls apart, unsure of her identity outside of the relationship. The resulting personal crisis leads her on a journey of self-discovery, as she is forced to take a deeper look at herself. Confronting her inner demons, she discovers hidden ingrained behavioral patterns she has had since childhood. While delving deeper into her own psychological makeup, she desperately tries to salvage her relationship with Sigmund and save their marriage. But is it too late?
There is nothing grand or epic about this movie, and therein lies its strength: in its focus on the interpersonal and relatable aspects of everyday life. Despite the intense drama surrounding the breakup, it unfolds on a personal, emotional level within a dysfunctional family. The film clearly illustrates the crucial role of communication in relationships and families, highlighting how destructive the lack of it can be. It is very easy to become blind to one’s own behavioral patterns in busy daily life.
Helga Guren delivers an exceptional performance as Maria. She convincingly expresses a wide range of emotions, from powerful outbursts of grief, anger and desperation to very subtle signs of both discontent and warmth. It is difficult not to be captivated and drawn into the emotional crisis and the personal, vulnerable journey Maria is forced to undertake.
Oddgeir Thune also does an excellent job, portraying Sigmund as a contrast to Maria in terms of communication. With his history of rarely staying in long-term relationships, he is not accustomed to working in order to maintain a relationship. Initially presented as the “idiot” in the relationship, our perception of him gradually changes as we realize that the situation is more complex. This clever approach means that we revisit earlier scenes with a new perspective, illustrating that “it takes two to tango.”
Cinematographer Øystein Mamen has focused, much like the film’s theme, on intimacy and emotion: the camera closely follows the family, the relationship, and the drama throughout the film, drawing us into their daily lives. This is further enhanced by good sound design and a solid soundtrack featuring Susanne Sundfør among others.
There is something universal in this exceptionally well-written film that I believe many people will relate to: it is intimate and emotionally impactful in its ordinariness. It is difficult not to get emotionally engaged in the drama since it confronts us with both difficult and painful emotions as well as positive ones, sprinkled with plenty of humor and warmth. As humans, we all seek security and fear rejection, which sometimes leads us to push away those we love in fear of losing them.
I believe couples in particular would benefit greatly from watching this film together. It offers a unique opportunity to become more aware of how we communicate and relate to each other. By highlighting the importance of effective communication and the impact of our actions on our partners, it is a powerful reminder that maintaining a healthy relationship requires both effort and mindfulness.
Thor Aaberg
Edited by Lesley Chow
© FIPRESCI 2024