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Together (2000 film)
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Wikipedia article
'Together' is a Swedish comedy-drama film, which was released to cinemas in Sweden on 25 August 2000. It is Swedish director Lukas Moodysson's second full-length film. Set in a Stockholm commune called "Tillsammans" (Swedish for "Together") in 1975, it is a satirical view of socialist values and a bittersweet comedy. A sequel titled 'Together 99' is set to be filmed in 2022.
Plot
'Together' is set in one of the sharehome communes that was created around Stockholm in the 1970s. Loosely led by the kind-natured Gran, who will do anything to avoid a conflict, the group spend their time arguing about left-wing politics and other more practical issues, such as whether doing the dishes is bourgeois. The sharehome's dynamics are significantly shaken when Gran's sister, Elisabeth, leaves her violent husband Rolf and moves in, bringing her two children Eva and Stefan.
Self-declared lesbian Anna lives in the commune with her ex-husband Lasse and their son Tet (named after the Tet offensive), who befriends Stefan. The two play games such as "torture the Pinochet victim" where, in the spirit of equality, they take turns at being Augusto Pinochet. Eva meanwhile befriends a lonely boy across the street named Fredrik; his family appears conventional on the surface but proves to be even more dysfunctional than the commune of which they so openly disapprove. The children are portrayed as sidelined by everyone in the film, from the new school where they are bullied to the parents who, while genuinely loving, are too busy experimenting with their own freedom to show it.
Elisabeth's husband Rolf makes a concerted effort to clean up his act, although not before getting drunk and arrested, leaving his children stranded on a roadside after a disastrous meal in a Chinese restaurant. Further relationship problems are found with Klas, who is desperately in love with Lasse, and between Gran and his selfish and immature girlfriend, who wants the benefits of an open relationship but not the responsibilities.
Selected cast
* Lisa Lindgren as Elisabeth
* Michael Nyqvist as Rolf, Elisabeth's husband
* Emma Samuelsson as Eva, Elisabeth's and Rolf's daughter
* Sam Kessel as Stefan, Elisabeth's and Rolf's son
* Gustaf Hammarsten as Gran, Elisabeth's brother
* Jessica Liedberg as Anna
* Ola Rapace as Lasse
* Axel Zuber as Tet, Anna and Lasse's son
* Shanti Roney as Klas
* Olle Sarri as Erik Andersson
* Anja Lundqvist as Lena, Gran's girlfriend
* Sten Ljunggren as Birger
* Cecilia Frode as Signe
* Lars Frode as Sigvard
* Emil Moodysson as Mne
* Henrik Lundstrm as Fredrik
Production
Although set in Stockholm in eastern Sweden, the film was actually shot in western Sweden, mainly in cities Trollhttan and Gothenburg. Filming began on 27 October 1999 and wrapped 20 December 1999. Artist Carl Johan De Geer created the film's contemporary environments.
The character "Birger" had previously appeared in another film from the same director. Sten Ljunggren had also played him in the short film 'Talk' (Bara prata lite) in 1997.
Reception
Critical reception
The film received critical acclaim. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 90% based on reviews from 79 critics, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads "Managing to be both satirical and warm-hearted in its look at the inhabitants of a commune, 'Together' successfully captures the spirit of a time." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 84 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".The New York Times called 'Together' "A funny, graceful and immensely good-natured work", while 'Salon' described it as "The kind of picture that makes you feel that there are many good reasons to actually like mankind."
Box office
The film grossed $6.4 million in Sweden from 880,000 admissions. It grossed $1.3 million in Norway, $1 million in the United States and Canada and almost $1 million in the United Kingdom, for a worldwide total of $14.6 million.Soundtrack
*ABBA "SOS"
*Maggie Bell "Caddo Queen"
*Hoola Bandoola Band "Vem kan man lita p?"
*Pugh Rogefeldt "Hr kommer natten"
*Ted Grdestad "Jag vill ha en egen mne"
*Tony Hung "Paddy Fields No. 1"
*Peps Blodsband "Ondens r"
*Nazareth "Love Hurts"
*International Harvester "It's Only Love"
*Ted Grdestad "S mycket bttre"
*Bo Hansson "The Black Riders (Flight to the Ford)"
*Shit & Chanel "Jorden Vinden Fuglene"
*Shit & Chanel "Fandango"
*Bo Hansson "Leaving Shire"
*Nationalteatern "Hanna frn Arlv"
*Tony Hung "Morning Stroll"
*Bo Hansson "At the House of Elrond and the Ring Goes South"
*Marie Selander "Vi r mnga"
*Turid "Song"
*Ted Grdestad "Come Give Me Love"
References
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