Klassfesten

How many films about class reunions have you seen? Probably too many. This is one the first Swedish ones concerning the subject. The main character, well played by comedian Björn Kjellman is living a dull life with a dull wife and a dull dog and a daughter. He remembers his time in High School as rather terrible, but also his love for the girl Hillevi.

Well, have you seen reunion films before, you have seen this one too. There are funny situations, rather Swedish funny situations with lots of alcohol involved. The film is standable but not its subject. That genre needs to be renewed.

The high school reunion is traumatic to anyone with a heart and a brain. Our teen years just keep on nagging us, all of our lives. And nothing makes as good comedy, as the sad sides of life.

This film follows the patterns and lands in what could be expected, which is sort of OK in comedy. It does have some amusing twists to it - especially the drastic mixture of past and present. The characters change places with their younger alter egos, like flashbacks but in present time scenes. I would say that this is how our memory works, making us jump in time subconsciously, as if we have forever that teen inside of us. Also, it adds a poetic quality to the film.

It's the most endearing with the main character, who interacts constantly with his teenage self, who tries desperately to make him more cool, and urges him to get out of his sheltered existence. Yes, how kindly would we be judged by ourselves in our teens, if they saw us now? To some extent, we can live with it, having other values than we did back then, but in other cases - well, well.

I would have loved to see this conflict explored and deepened - that between the adult person and the teenager he once was. Unfortunately, the film stays on the surface of it, probably in fear of darkening the comedy too much. But comedy thrives on darkness, not on light. Happy and well-adjusted people don't invite to laughter, but misery sure does - I think already Aristotle stated this, in what little remains of his thoughts on comedy.

Certainly, there is some misery in the film, but just as it is about to really grab us, then comes a smile with snow white teeth, or a joke to release the tension. It is irritating. So also, is the fact that the dialogue contains little worth listening to. The writers/directors have not penetrated the subject sufficiently, or they just don't think so much of it.

Still, there were several moments where I laughed out loud, and in between the film was kind of cute.

Lightwight comedy with some funny observations on roles and relations. Two parallell contexts - one about relations within a marriage that has gone routine, and one about revisited relations within a junior high school class.

If you liked the other Herngren/Holm movies you will most likely enjoy this one.

Well worth seeing.

I know i'm hardly the intended audience for this film. I'm not even close to the mid-life crisis yet and therefore i might not understand the finer points of this "comedy". To me this was anyway more depressing than funny.

Magnus is 35 years old. He lives with his wife in a rather dull marriage. One day he receives an invitation to a class reunion, and he is not thrilled. After debating with himself he decides to go to this reunion, and that decision changes his life.

I don't what it is about these Swedish movies about people going through their mid-life crisis. These movies are plentiful and almost ALWAYS depressing. If these movies were something to judge from then the obvious deduction would be that life becomes completely pointless and bereft of happiness the moment you turn 35. Somehow i have a hard time believing that considering that there are plenty of people who live beyond that point without violently committing suicide.

Also what i don't like in these movies is that the resolution always seems to steer away from what would in most countries considered to be politically correct. Rather it's the revelation and the "new life", the guts to start anew, that is always heralded as the positive thing to do. Never to try and work things out in your present situation. This seems if nothing else at least very unrealistic since most people do not feel like throwing everything aside and just starting anew.

Anyway, this movie is rather funny in some parts. But not as funny as it is depressing. Björn Kjellman is great, as he often is, and most of the other actors are also doing a nice job. Also what the directors manage to do is promote sympathy in the characters. You feel for so many of them. They are pathetic but in a way that makes you sympathize rather than despise them. Which also adds some warmth to the otherwise rather bleak story.

So if a black comedy about the mid-life crisis is your cup of tea, then this might be something for you. I rate it 5/10 and hope that in the future these movies could perhaps be a bit brighter.

Hannes and Måns are fantastic in capturing the surrounding and feeling of the time - both back in the eighties and today. Their characters are spot on (perhaps with exception of Inday Ba's Hillevi). One might have to be in the same age-group as Hannes and Måns to really appreciate the movie, but if you are, then memories will return - guaranteed.