Together

Together
by Lukas Moodysson

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Movie Reviews of Together

Movie Review: Swedish Harmony
Summary: 5 Stars

When the film begins, a woman is faced with separation from her hard-drinking, out-of-control husband. Not knowing where else to go, she moves herself and her two children into the commune, where her soft-spoken and well-meaning but somewhat ineffectual brother is a founding member. In search of a new start, she attempts to fit in with her new-found friends, with somewhat laughable consequences. But some tears fall among the laughter here as well. Her children are torn between missing their father and wanting things to change for the better. Their father's behavior has hurt them deeply, but their new situation, complete with imposed sexuality, and adults who may still be quite child-like themselves, may be hurting them in a different way. Is a better life ahead? Or just a new set of problems?

Separated from his family, the father stumbles and falls in his attempt to be a better father, but he does keep getting up again, and part of the storyline is whether or not he will be able to own up to his problems, and come through as a good father/husband in the end. Meanwhile, the mother is also allowed a new freedom to pursue her own interests and desires, for perhaps the first time since she married. The effects of this change on each member of the family, as well as the members of the newly adopted communal family, are what drive the VW van, er, movie.

Together is a wonderful, funny, heart-felt movie, filled with hope and a genuine respect and admiration for human beings, in all our akwardness and imperfections. The use of Abba in a film has never been better to cue a heartfelt tear, and the solemn and quizzical expressions on the faces of the children when faced with the quirky inhabitants of the commune are priceless. We care about what happens to these kids, and we want to see things work out for them, and for their struggling parents.

Moodyson's innate love of people despite their inevitable follies is something he shares with fellow Swede Lasse Hallstrom, perhaps the best-known contemporary Swedish director in the US (apart from Bergman, of course!). In his view, we all have something to offer. And we can all change for the better, we can all grow. Despite rough waters now and then, with Moodyson at the helm, everything's going to be okay. And sometimes, it's nice to see a film like that.

Summary of Together