![]() ![]() ![]() True, there is something about Anne that goes beyond self-assurance to seem a bit high-handed, a sense that she feels so evolved as to believe she’s always right about everything. with a lifestyle most of the world would envy. Although it appears things have cooled off for them between the sheets, the couple looks to have worked out a reasonable m.o. El-Toukhy, who co-wrote with Maren Louise Kaehne, devotes much of the tale’s first half to creating a tapestry of familial tranquility and well-being: The forty-something Anne (Trine Dyrholm of last year’s Nico, 1988) is a successful lawyer who adroitly manages balancing her career, raising two young daughters and being there for her doctor husband Peter (Magnus Krepper) at their lovely home in the woods. However, Trine Dyrholm’s dynamic performance is what makes the picture come together.Deservedly or not, Scandinavians have long been known for their liberally enlightened view of sexual matters, but this film seems geared to assert that they’re second to none when it comes to hypocrisy. With its desolate glance at the life of a woman creating slight chaos as she seeks fulfillment in her mundane life, Queen of Hearts might test the patience of some viewers. Additionally, due to the grainy cinematography by Jasper Spanning, it feels like Anne’s journey takes place in a nearly bleak Wonderland. There may be scenes of Anne reading Alice in Wonderland to her children, yet it’s clear to the viewers that Anne has been led down her own aforementioned rabbit hole. Going back to the story’s Alice in Wonderland connection, the screenplay by writer/director May el-Toukhy and Maren Louise Kaehne makes the similarities apparent but not to the point where it comes overbearing. While Dyrholm maintains Anne’s restraint, Lindh plays Gustav as more of an open book that tries to get through the brick wall that Anne builds between herself and those around her. Lindh wonderfully captures both his persistence and confused naivete and serves as a perfect foil for his female co-star. Anne’s continuous silence makes the viewer what her thought process is even if it’s clear what her intentions with her stepson may be.Īlthough Dyrholm carries this film well, proper credit should go to Gustav Lindh’s performance as Gustav. In Queen of Hearts, she shows a more icy disposition, giving Anne a bit of mystery in the process. Dyrholm previously gave a performance full of fire and brimstone in Nico, 1988 as the famed rock singer Nico. Through the use of physical movements and her expressive face, Trine Dyrholm perfectly captures Anne’s feelings of isolation. Anne’s solitude is also demonstrated through a key sequence involving her dancing to the song “Tainted Love.” The lyrics perfectly summarize her need for affection and to escape the constrictions she feels are put upon her. Yet, her husband feels absent even when he’s there and her career involving helping children in need appears to be less fulfilling. She may have a loving husband and a decent career as a lawyer. While her incestuous affair with her teenage stepson Gustav (Gustav Lindh) gives her bliss, their forbidden love leads to a web of lies and betrayal.īefore both Anne and Gustav consummate their feelings, the film presents Anne’s sedate daily routine as a way of indicating her motivations for engaging in her affair. ![]() However, Anne (Trine Dyrholm) initially acts as the “Alice” of the storyline, falling down a rabbit hole of conflicting desire before slowly becoming the titular Queen and acting as her own worst enemy. Queen of Hearts, Denmark’s Oscar submission for Best International Feature Film, is indeed a slight parable to Alice in Wonderland. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |