Those who have seen the twelve part television series will know that Eva, played by Ellen Fjæstad, and Adam, played by Carl-Robert Holmer-Kårell, are rather an introverted young pair, very much in the Scandinavian tradition of film making. 'Eva & Adam - fyra födelsedagar och ett fiasco' goes beyond this entertaining interaction between the two, between Eva and Annika, who is played by Ulrika Bergman and has a very similar character to Eva, and between Eva and her brother Tobbe, who is played by Erik Johansson and covers many aspects of the harmonious and quarrelling sides of sibling relationships. The key to this further development is Petra, played by Rosanna Munter. She is hyperactive, one of those schoolchildren who simply cannot stay still, relax, and enjoy life in a passive manner. The role is played perfectly, and adds a new dimension to Eva's pensiveness. None of the characters is one-sided. They all react to different situations in ways the viewer might not have expected.
Although the main story is a romantic one, the film keeps the viewer interested with many subplots, even if these are quiet, subdued ones in the best Swedish traditions. The fiasco scene is, of course, nothing of the sort. It is tumultuous as one would expect, and helps the variations of mood and pace which are so central to this film.
Another highlight is the rendering of the song 'Mercedes Benz' by Eva and Petra. It is not only enjoyable. It also underlines the contrast in their characters through both pronounced and subtle body language and facial expression.
Although I am older than the target age group of both the series and this film, I thoroughly enjoyed the former, and consider the latter to be even better.
