Container on DVD (2006)

Joe Kany from Scotlandshire , 22/04/2007

No Moodysson! Too experimental. You're no good at it. Give us a Together 2

  9 out of 10 people found this review helpful

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Matti White from London, UK , 03/06/2007

In the past, Lukas Moodysson has proved himself an energetic and capable director, and one of European cinema's biggest talents. Unfortunately, I found this film to be a huge let down. The whole thing seemed rather forced - a concious effort to be 'arty' and pretentious, rather than something straight from the heart. The whiny, whispery female voice over was rather irksome, and the disjointed narrative, whilst an interesting concept, also highlighted a lack of any real substance or direction. Moodysson may be a very versatile director, but it seems this kind of experimental cinema is not his strongest hand.

  8 out of 12 people found this review helpful

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A customer from UK , 13/02/2007

If you are interested in experimental film or the avant garde movement then this film is a must. With barely any narrative the film relies on a strong black and white aesthtic to pleaase the viewer whilst a voice over takes you into the mind of the character. This film is dark and weird just the way I like it. If you only like narrative films with clear cut story lines then this film is probably not for you.

  6 out of 9 people found this review helpful

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Savage from London, England [Highly rated reviewer] , 19/05/2007

Lukas Moodysson seems to be having his career in reverse. Most directors start off with the deeply personal, arty stuff before, having found critical favour, broadening out their appeal into the commercial world. Moodysson, on the other hand, started off with audience pleasers 'F**king Amal' and 'Together', and was celebrated by no less a figure than Ingmar Bergman. Perhaps the pressure was too much, because ever since then he's been retreating into what seems very like a personal hell.

Even by the standards of 'A hole in the heart', this is an alienated piece of work. It looks and sounds a little like a Ralph Lauren perfume advert: clean monochrome visuals with a self-consciously poetic voiceover (spoken beautifully here by Jena Malone). But it goes on for seventy minutes and takes in celebrity culture, the unfolding tragedy in Sudan, fall-out from Chernobyl, extreme self-harm, religious musings and gender realignment. Apparently about a girl trapped in the container of a man's body - and the man fighting back - it's actually about something like the unceasing flow of information in contemporary society, a slew of verbiage through which we must pick our own meanings, in order to define ourselves.

Having said all of which, I'm not sure it adds up to a very good film - it's actually pretty boring for the most part - but it's unlike anything else, and that's always a good start.

  3 out of 4 people found this review helpful

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Matti White from London, UK , 03/06/2007

In the past, Lukas Moodysson has proved himself an energetic and capable director, and one of European cinema's biggest talents. Unfortunately, I found this film to be a huge let down. The whole thing seemed rather forced - a concious effort to be 'arty' and pretentious, rather than something straight from the heart. The whiny, whispery female voice over was rather irksome, and the disjointed narrative, whilst an interesting concept, also highlighted a lack of any real substance or direction. Moodysson may be a very versatile director, but it seems this kind of experimental cinema is not his strongest hand.

  8 out of 12 people found this review helpful

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Savage from London, England [Highly rated reviewer] , 19/05/2007

Lukas Moodysson seems to be having his career in reverse. Most directors start off with the deeply personal, arty stuff before, having found critical favour, broadening out their appeal into the commercial world. Moodysson, on the other hand, started off with audience pleasers 'F**king Amal' and 'Together', and was celebrated by no less a figure than Ingmar Bergman. Perhaps the pressure was too much, because ever since then he's been retreating into what seems very like a personal hell.

Even by the standards of 'A hole in the heart', this is an alienated piece of work. It looks and sounds a little like a Ralph Lauren perfume advert: clean monochrome visuals with a self-consciously poetic voiceover (spoken beautifully here by Jena Malone). But it goes on for seventy minutes and takes in celebrity culture, the unfolding tragedy in Sudan, fall-out from Chernobyl, extreme self-harm, religious musings and gender realignment. Apparently about a girl trapped in the container of a man's body - and the man fighting back - it's actually about something like the unceasing flow of information in contemporary society, a slew of verbiage through which we must pick our own meanings, in order to define ourselves.

Having said all of which, I'm not sure it adds up to a very good film - it's actually pretty boring for the most part - but it's unlike anything else, and that's always a good start.

  3 out of 4 people found this review helpful

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