Sunday, April 24, 2011

The Seagull's Laughter (2001)

The Seagull's Laughter / Mávahlátur (2001)
The Seagull's Laughter / Mávahlátur (2001)

Genre: Drama / Comedy
Director: Ágúst Guðmundsson
Starring: Margrét Vilhjálmsdóttir, Ugla Egilsdóttir, Hilmir Snær Guðnason
Duration: 102 min.
Rating: 7.3/10

Summary:
It is 1953, and Freya, who had gone to America as an officer’s bride, has returned home to begin a new life. She moves into a small house of distant relatives in a quiet fishing village within Iceland. But unlike the drab, plump girl who went abroad, Freya, now in her twenties, is a stunningly beautiful woman. With her long chestnut brown hair, slender figure, and chic American fashions, she is somewhat of a mystery to the women of the household, including the inquisitive eleven-year-old Agga, and especially to the men of the community.


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The Seagull's Laughter by Ágúst Guðmundsson, is an adaptation from a novel by Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir.  It is a charming and enjoyable dark comedy centered on the beautiful and mysterious woman named Freyja played by Margrét Vilhjálmsdóttir and told through the eyes of her young cousin Agga (Ugla Egilsdottir) who both idolizes and despises her.

Set in a wonderfully picturesque Icelandic fishing village, this film is a visual delight capturing all the style and charm of the post war era.  The story is engaging, unpredictable, and maintains a clever balance between the dark undertones and the light humor.  Also, the two leads each give impressive performances and are supported by a well rounded ensemble cast of various friends, relatives, and villagers.   

The Seagull's Laughter / Mávahlátur (2001)

The Seagull's Laughter / Mávahlátur (2001)

The Seagull's Laughter / Mávahlátur (2001)

The Seagull's Laughter / Mávahlátur (2001)

The Seagull's Laughter / Mávahlátur (2001)

The Seagull's Laughter / Mávahlátur (2001)

The Seagull's Laughter / Mávahlátur (2001)

The Seagull's Laughter / Mávahlátur (2001)

7 comments:

Jack L said...

I've never seen an Icelandic film before, maybe I'll start with this one...

The Angry Vegetarian said...

Another one I've seen! I actually saw this a few years ago. Sometimes when you watch a foreign film the humor gets lost because of the cultural differences, the actual language, etc. But this I remember worked well. After seeing the top commenters section I realize I need to pick one type of logging in/posting and sticking to it.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I'm in love with Iceland because of the scenery, it's such a beautiful place. Unfortunately there aren't very many films produced there, and most of their directors are now starting to work in other countries. Sadly, I think this will be the case for awhile because of their current economic difficulties.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Yeah comedies in particular often lose their edge when translated.

The top commenters list does seem to be missing a few names. I guess it only tracks registered users.

derek rampersad said...

never heard of it....wont watch it :)

Adalmin said...

Heh...Chocolat in Iceland?

Matt S. said...

I have not even heard of this one, but it surprisingly looks really interesting. Great review!

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