Fröken Sverige

I found this film to be engaging and very enjoyable. I recently saw it on late night television and became quite involved in the plot, primarily because of the lead character Moa.

Alexandra Dahlström's performance is the best thing in this film, but the story line is the second best: a large percentage of the audience would be able to identify with many of the concepts and themes that are touched on, including bullying, sexuality, foster care, drug use, crime, animal rights and popular culture. There is a simple yet poignant remark on Moa's need to rebel against the very group of friends who are supposedly rebels themselves, yet who allow their principles and idealism to make them narrow-minded and resistant to change. I also found it interesting that the character of Kim was so set against romantic love and happiness as though they had become something meaningless and undesirable, almost dirty.

Moa seems to stumble her way through many mistakes (mainly relating to her attempts at relationships with the opposite sex) and there is a kind of edge-of-your-seat anxiousness as you wait to see what she'll decide to do next.

After standing up to her so-called friends she discovers a new-found self-reliance. From here others begin to give her more respect. It is only toward the end that she realises she doesn't need anyone else to make her happy. Simple, life-affirming stuff that might sound clichéd but thanks to the down-to-earth characters feels genuine nonetheless.