Reviews

I expected much more of this, because the story - the subject matter - was there alright. But it was misused, so that the whole documentary became boring and uninteresting. I hope that the team behind the TV-series "I shouldn't be alive" will get their hands on this story! That would be something else!

This was a very funny film, and it also had warm and heart-wrenching moments. It is easy to relate to Mary - especially if you have yourself been lonely and hopelessly in love with someone who does not love you back - to wish her success, to feel sorry for her... and also a bit irritated with her. But the ending left me with a question. Do the movie-makers want to say to all people out there who are lonely and "nerdy", that there is no use that they try to pursue love, if they happen to fall in love with someone handsome, charming, popular and "normal"? That this is not possible, and that they must stick to their own league? I would have wished for another ending, even if this was also moving.

I wasn't overly impressed with this movie (I watched it as a movie). Firstly, the marketing did not fit with the story: it was said to be about how a marriage can fall apart when the children have moved out, but in the movie the wife had already began the search for a flat of her own before their daughter had moved out...

And then, there were some odd scenes that I did not like. The husband spying on his ex-wife when she was having sex with a new man, for instance. And the fact that the wife and her boy-friend had sex with the blinds up, so that it was possible for every passerby to see... The instance of cruelty to a bird was not a favourite scene of mine either. The vet who used her work to get into contact with men, neither - that is a very unprofessional and unsuitable behaviour. Not to say odd.

But most of all I did not like to see Walter Sittler's naked, aging body. I have admired Mr Sittler, at one time I almost had a crush on him - that was when he played the leading man in "Ein Geschenk des Himmels". I have liked him a lot as the "Kommissar" as well. But now I feel that he has sunk, and watching him in the older movies will not be the same anymore, either... :-(

With this said, "Eltern allein zu Haus" is still a good enough movie, it is quite nice in parts and there ARE things here that you can relate to if you are in that situation yourself (middle-aged, long marriage, newly divorced, children moving out...). And that might be a help.

The Germans are good at making movies on themes that middle-aged/older women like to hear and think about. I have seen many modern German movies now on the same theme as this: a middle-aged/older woman has been left for a younger woman. Sometimes (as here) the man has also got children with the younger woman. Which makes the older woman feel worthless, as she can no longer have children or be as attractive as the younger woman.

...but then it all resolves itself, as it turns out that the man still loves his old wife, that he misses her, regrets what he has done, does not like his new life with small children in reality, and does not find his young wife that especially attractive anymore. The young woman is often pictured as an egoistic and demanding gold-digger. So he tries to get his old wife back. Sometimes he succeeds, and they come to terms with the fact that he still has to take some responsibility for his new children too, or otherwise (as here) the older woman meets a new man who is much better in all respects. This gives comfort and hope to the very many women past 40-45 who are in this situation.

I liked this movie a lot! It is both fun and sad; it awakens strong emotions and leave you with a feeling that you have experienced something important - in spite of all the Hollywood "sugar". Beautiful people, lavish props, staging, extras etc., high-budget, good visuals, fresh colours, many fine details to look at. But most of all I liked the ending. I am glad that the ending, just for once, was unhappy (for the heroine). Because that is what often happens in real life, and you have to go on even when you have lost - or never won - the person that you think about as the love of your life. Movies with "unhappy" endings - but which still show a heroin or hero who is coping with that - give comfort and inspiration for yourself to go on, too.

I am not as over the top about this series as the rest of the world seems to be. There is no doubt that it is a very competent work with high production values and an enormous budget. But I never felt any "love" for any of the characters, and I never felt that desire that you can feel when a work of fiction is really, really good, to be part of it and live in that world there with them.

I think both the best and the worst thing with this series was its realism. For instance, the class differences are not so exaggerated as in many works of fictions that deal with castles, lords, nobility etc.. Which is a good thing if it is a correct period piece you want - but you never feel that magic and admiration that you feel for, for instance, Mr Rochester brooding in his Thornfield Hall... There is no romance here, and no mystery.

Also, some story lines took up too much time, for instance the elderly ladies' intriguing about the charitable hospital positions, and the Mr Marston-his son-his farm-Daisy intrigue. I found both of these stories very tedious. Also, I think it was a mistake to make a long-drawn out detective story about the Mr Bates-and-his-wife's death-thing. It felt out of place and as a cheap attempt to introduce something spectacular that would rise the audience' interest when it was waning.

For me this series was more education than anything else. For as such it is very good, because it captures the period perfectly: the social changes, the women from the higher classes starting to work a little outside home, the young people moving to towns to find work in factories, shops, restaurants etc. instead of working as hired farmhands or servants at private estates. I have had some relatives, now long gone, who were born in the beginning of the 20th century. This was their world when they were children and young people, and I feel that this series has made me understand their way of reasoning better!

I also much appreciate the great attention to detail in clothes, hair-styles, furniture, ornaments, cars, music, dancing, and other things. You really feel yourself transported to this time period!

REVIEW FOR SEASON 1, which is all I have watched.

When I first heard of this series, which I had managed to miss all these years, I thought it sounded like a great idea! I mean: who does not love a Lord (or "Laird" in this case)! :-) Not to speak of old castles and the wonderful nature scenery in the Highlands, and all the special Scottish traditions you can use, such as Scottish country-dances, bag-pipes, kilts with clan tartans etc.. It does not seem possible to fail with those ingredients.

But in reality... it seems a bit trite. The jokes are too simple, there is too much slapstick, and in every episode it is obvious already in the beginning how it has to end.

I think the part of the young Laird almost carries the whole production, because he is very likable, with a little help of his elderly but feisty father, who does not want to let go of the past, and his beautiful and well-dressed but a bit air-headed mother. The other characters unfortunately I do not like, I do not think any of the three young women are suitable as new Lady of the Manor for instance, and the other men working on the estate and running around in the village all are generally uninteresting. Although I cannot say if the wrong lies with the characters or with the actors.

All in all, it is A LITTLE worth seeing if you are interested in the Highlands themselves, and I am now starting with season 2! :-)

October 24, 2015

Alright, I have now watched SEASON 2 AND 3 as well, and I have raised my marks to 7! I still find it silly, though. The solutions are always so very simple, and completely out of touch with reality. Of course you do not play games about the rights to an ancient big estate, and you cannot stop the bank from foreclosing your loan by refusing to help the bank employee to cross the stream...

But if you put your brain aside for awhile and only watch with your heart, it is in fact quite funny and entertaining, with beautiful scenery, and also sometimes deep with human interest and things you can relate to. I, for one, can very much relate to Archie's feelings after his father died with mine after my father died. I remember all the unresolved issues, everything that ought to have been said but was then too late to say... Another thing I can very much relate to is Lexie's worries of not being good enough for Archie. I have felt like that several times when I have become fond of a man - and it does not always have to do with social differences either...

All in all I would recommend this, if you just remember that it IS entertainment and escapism, and not realism.

November 6, 2015

Now I have watched it all to the end! I think it was drawn out too long, too many "heavy" characters disappeared and too many new were introduced - I felt I could not connect to them all anymore. Too much time was taken up by the teenagers - that is not interesting for an adult audience.

Also, there were too many repetitions of already used plot ideas. Such as women throwing themselves at the Laird, first one set of women with Archie, and then another set with Paul, and the silly contests about the estate and the title of Laird. And when they could not decently introduce another Laird-contest, they threw in a ghillie-contest instead...

The best thing should have been if the show had ended when Archie left. (No, the VERY best thing should of course have been if he had not left at all.) Although there were some nice stories and moments in the last seasons as well that I would not have missed. I think for instance of the misunderstanding when Paul thought Jess fancied him, and he was going to talk to her about it in a mature way... And the brief love story between Golly and Megan, and the son he finally got late in life... And the ending when Paul was going to give Iona away... but took repossession instead! :-)

I think the very best thing with watching this show, was that I learnt a lot about rural Highland life. I feel like going there on holiday! :-)

As this movie is Swedish, as I am myself, I would have liked to give it good marks. But this is not possible. This was a very slow, stupid and silly movie. Nothing really happens, you have to look at for instance people walking on a mountain road for several minutes. It is low-budget and amateurish. The only value I can see in it is some nature scenery (very sparse of this though despite of the location), and that you can relate to the things the characters do if you have yourself been to a skiing resort with your kids.

The plot in short: a Swedish/Norwegian family of four goes to a ski resort in the Alps. An incident happens that might be dangerous - but turns out not to be. The father gets into a panic and thinks only of saving himself. Then follows a lot of quasi-psychological stuff. In the end another incident happens that might be dangerous - but turns out not to be. This time the mother panics and thinks only of saving herself. This is supposed to be a happy ending, with everything evened out..?!! I can only say: poor kids with BOTH parents like that!!!

This movie was quite slow and drawn-out, silly and dated, and not very funny either. The main idea about a couple who marry for convenience, and intend not to share a bedroom, but then develop feelings for each other after all, is quite good though - although not original. So much more could have been made by it. What one wants to see in a story with that theme, is the sexual tension slowly growing between the man and woman, and some innuendo... that is the whole point. Instead there were too many other, uninteresting, people involved here, and there was too much running in and out through doors like in a drawing room comedy on the theater stage.

The whole movie is carried by the two leads: Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn. I like it that Hollywood already in the 1940:s could make a love story with leads who were no longer young (especially that the woman is no longer young), and who did not have the traditional perfect handsome/pretty looks but instead more individual looks. The couple makes the movie worth watching once, in spite of all its shortcomings.