Ricky Gervais’ and Stephen Merchant have collaborated on this feature film (to some degree made in the kitchen-sink tradition), telling the story about three young men who are boored with their work, their town and probably themselves.
They try to flee within by doing a lot of stupid things, pranks they, themselves, find 'entertaining' but nothing the inhabitants of the town appreciate.
One of them - Freddie - Christian Cooke - the more handsome and ambitious among the three, starts to sell insurances in order to 'become something' or 'someone', working for the cynical Mr Kendricks - Ralph Fiennes - falling in love with his daughter.
After this his decision, life wanders up and down, not least since he's in the middle of an argument between father and daughter concerning her role as a woman: Career woman or housewife.
The other two friends continue to do the same thing they've always done and even though they are given chances they spoil everything, or almost everything.
The ending is a bit too foreseeable and 'happy' for my taste but....
It's a feel good film not plunging too deep into the mysteries of human existence and psyche but, in spite of this, a habile piece of work.
I would like to emphasize the acting by Ralph Fiennes, Emily Watson - as his wife - and Tom Hughes as Freddies friend Bruce.
'Rare Exports':
A team of American scientists are drilling for gas in the northern parts of Finland and its mountains and this at the exact spot where - according to the myth - the real and 'evil' Santa Claus is said to be burried - the Santa who eats children!
These are well known 'facts', if you ask the young boy Pietari (Onni Tommila) who has read a book telling the 'true story' about Santa Claus and his malignancy. Now he's afraid that they will unleash a veritable 'Child Harmageddon' - and of course he's right!
From this point on, his father and his friends - all being reindeer keepers - become involved in a nightmarish hunt after and defense against both the awful Santa and his half human helpers ('nissar'), a horde of naked ugly men with beards!
Not revealing to much I can say that in Finnish the word for Santa Claus is Joulupukki wich means Christmas goat.
This is an amazing and imaginative story by director Jalmari Helander (photo below), blending myth and suspense, action and passion and a fantastic scenery. In the center of the story we have the clear-sighted child and 'hero' who see things grown-ups don't because the latter are to rational.
We were also given the possibility listening to the director himself talking about the film after the screening, interviewed by a member of the Stockholm Film Festival. The audience were also given the chance asking questions.
Helander is a low-voiced man with a quiet humour.
As one of the few countries in Europe this film is not scheduled to be shown on movie theaters in Sweden. The film will however be released on DVD and it's not impossible that it will reach the cinemas anyway.
When Swedish movie theaters and distributors realize that this film will become a success - of this I'm sure - they will be forced releasing it.
Jalmari Helander:
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