14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well-Made Comedy Drama from the Director of "Show Me Love", March 3, 2004
This review is from: Together (DVD)
(Not ot be confused with another great film of the same name, directed by Chinese master Chen Kaige.)
"Together" is the second film by Lukas Moodysson, who gave us very charming film "Show Me Love." (If you have not seen it, you are just missing a great thing.) Here, Moodysson tackles different theme, a small commune in 1975 in Sweden, in which their ideals are tested by the new members of the place.
The film starts when a mother Elizabeth left her home with two children, Eva and Stefan, because of the perpetual violence of the drunkard husband. Now, the plot sounds heavy, but this film never gets too serious, so we are quickly introduced to the commune named "Together" where many colorful people are living. They are Erik, young radical student whose ideas go ridiculously too far; Anna, feminist turned lesbian who likes meditating; Goran, who is too kind-hearted (or timid) to tell what he realy thinks, Lena, whose idea of Free Love is a real suspect, and others, including a boy Tet (named after the event of the war in Vietnam) who plays with Stefan, doing "mock-torturing."
Now join the distraught wife Elizabeth and Eva and Stefan. The film tells how the commune react to them (and them to the commune) in a light touch, with many episodes. The general tone of the film is that of a well-made comedy, though for American audience some of the contents are very radical (nudity included). It's a Swedish film, after all.
The most impressive part is, like the previous "Show Me Love," the kids. Eva and the boy living across the street establish a budding relation which might be called love, and their embarrassed feelings towards the unique adults are implied very delicately in the apparently small things -- like staying all the day in a small van (which looks like the one you see in "Scooby-Doo").
And what I liked most is the sly touch of the film, which suggests that the commune is not going to last forever. I do not talk about the ending, but from the beginning you find that the community of the kind -- hippies denying any kind of commercialism, like TV or soft drink -- belongs to the things of the past. Like the music of ABBA, it's definitely 70s. And that's why they look charming, looking back from now.
You may find some of the characters annoying, but the film is delightful enough to make them, if not likeable, certainly irresitible. "Together" has that kind of power, which comples you to keep watching.
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20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A warm comedy with serious undertones by Moodysson..., February 23, 2004
This review is from: Together (DVD)
It is the year 1975 when ABBA and the children TV show "Fem myror är fler än fyra elefanter" (translation: Five ants are more than four than five elephants) was immensely popular in Sweden. Elisabeth has just been beaten up by her husband and she has decided to move to to her brother Göran's with her two children. What makes the film more interesting is that Göran lives in a commune with a wide variety of characters that are rather radical on the left side of politics and openly display opinions and thoughts in regards to anything. At first is Elisabeth is bothered by their openness towards one another, but she realizes that she has no where else to go as a jobless housewife. As time passes Elisabeth becomes not only comfortable, but also begins to form her own notions, which strengthens her.
Together (Tillsammans) is a marvelous and well directed story as it is a kaleidoscope of notions put into action in an environment where love and confrontations belong in the daily routine. Despite the confrontational situations in the film, Moodysson creates a warm atmosphere where one concept overrides all other thoughts, which is that notions are pointless in the absence of company. This results in a warm comedy with serious undertones that offer much food for thought as Moodysson leaves the audience with a brilliant cinematic experience.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful film, truly special!, March 21, 2002
The year 2001 was pretty much a vast and empty one for film. "Together" was one of the few bright spots of the year. This truly wonderful film is set in Stockholm, Sweeden circa 1975 at a commune known as Together. The people who live at the commune are pretty much your "typical" hippies and socialists who believe they are living in a "utopia". Unfortunately, egos and a middle class lifestyle that they never really abandoned quietly sneak into the picture. Also coming into this mix is one of the member's sister fleeing her abusive husband. She brings along her two children who are not in the least too enthused about being here. Oh, but why reveal anymore. See this great film for yourself.
Lukas Moodysson wrote and directed this film and he captures this period better than I've ever seen it caught on film before. He even captures the look and feel of a 70's picture with his filmmaking style. I cant recommend this film enough.
One of 2001's very best.
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