MovieChat Forums > Under solen (1998) Discussion > Disappointed

Disappointed

posted 16 years ago by sweden-1
4 replies | jump to latest

I watched Under the Sun last night, and I was pretty disappointed. I'm from Sweden myself and enjoyed the landscape images, but that's about it. Helena Bergstrom was consistent as always. She never does a bad job. But Rolf Lassgard I though was horrible. I felt like he over-acted and was really struggling to stutter and seam insecure. Maybe I have seen him in too many other roles, as cops. As good as Swedish movies are, the talent pool is rather limited. See him in "Jagarna" instead. You may have to get it from Sweden, in which case you need a codefree DVD player.

The direction from Colin Nutley was the worse I have seen. It was too long and he was trying to create a visual story that just didn't work. With the dog running in the field, horses swimming in the lake, etc. I am a big fan of Nutley. He is normally better at defining the Swedes than the Swedes themselves. But see Anglagard (House of Angels) instead. It's awesome!

I wish I never bought the DVD as I don't think I will watch it again.

Douglas

[–] film_rat 16 years ago

I was disappointed too.
I know Rolf Lassgard only from the Wallander movies; but I thought he did a fine job in this movie.
The biggest problem for me was the story.
Ingenious and "innocent" farmer falls in love with a lady from the town - she quits and leaves a letter which he cannot read - the letter explains it all, but the friend who reads the letter to the ingenious farmer is a wrong one - she comes back and accidentally he has this letter in his pocket... - a little bit thin, this sotryline.
The acting was good, the cinematography superb - but that's not enough to make a good film.

English is not my first language. Any corrections are welcome.

[–] kaufmeisterin 15 years ago

Wow - I could not disagree more! I have watched this movie and really enjoyed it! The countryside looks like my own home a bit, just that we have mountains. I felt at home immediately. And the colours were so warm and beautiful.

And to the OP: the long shots of dog running and horses bathing were beautiful, and I am so glad they were not cut out. Maybe you have seen the acteur too often in other roles. I cannot judge that. I have seen him for the second time tonight. The first was "After the wedding", which we rented some weeks ago. After we liked that one, we decided to get more of that actor, and so this movie came on the list.

I am german, living in America, and I had never heard of this actor before I saw "After the wedding". Which is also an outstanding movie, by the way.

[–] silver-pil 12 years ago

if you dont want your dvd's with the movie i will gladly take them :). *joke*

i love this film. each time i see it i always cry at the end.

i erase all memories of an actor everytime i see a new movie so i dont have any comparishments from older roles. maybe that is why i like all movies the way i do. i think every movie is worth to give a chance to be liked but if you keep all memories in your present mind as you watch the movie it will ruin the movie. try to put the memories away and see on the actor as if it was the first time then the movie will give you a good or better entertianment or how to say. easier to express what i mean in swedish :P. i never think of all roles rolf had as cop in my mind when i see a new movie with him. that is unfair to his new role since it is a new character and not a cop he is playing.

maybe that is why i can see same movie more then 20 times and each times feels like the first time :).

[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

Yes I'm disapointed too and I can't quite put my finger on why. For the first 45-50 minutes I thought the film was developing splendily. Then the charming Erik started to get rotten and aggressive and I didn't quite believe the character. I really hated the juxtaposition of him seducing his girl with Ellen's seduction of Olof. I found the love scenes between Olof and Ellen nauseating in that they were really cliched. I didn't feel Ellen's love for Olof and I never understood her character either. Olof was the best of the characters because he was melded to the fields and the animals and so scenes of him in these environments enhanced his character. I didn't care for the soundtrack from Paddy Moloney either; it was saccharine.

Yet the film had a certain charm and beauty and some of the humour was well done. I gave it 7/10 as a result.

Movement ends, intent continues;
Intent ends, spirit continues