By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Roy Andersson
Starring: Amanda Davies | Anja Broms | Bengt Bergius | Jan-Eje Ferling | Karin Engman | Lotta Forsberg | Marie Burman | Tatiana Delaunay
Original language title: Om det oändliga
Country: france, germany, norway, sweden
Year: 2021
Running time: 78
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6817944/reference
Bob says: “A priest who’s lost his faith walks into a psychiatrist’s office. No, that’s not the start of a bad joke. It’s one of the examples of the human condition presented in Swedish filmmaker Roy Andersson’s ABOUT ENDLESSNESS.
“The film is made up of a series of vignettes, carefully framed, in deep focus, and with a palette of muted greys. And the camera never moves, with just one exception. We can talk about that later. Most of the emotions expressed in the film are pretty muted too, but there are certainly exceptions there as well. The vignettes illustrate some simple pleasures of life: a sip of champagne, finding your family waiting for you when your train arrives at the station, an impromptu dance outside a cafe. But it also includes some deep disappointments: an honor killing, prisoners of war, and the aforementioned priest, who is one of two characters who appear multiple times.
“That one exception to the static camera is a slow, barely noticeable pan across a ruined cityscape, perhaps after a war. Into that shot fly the couple seen in the poster. Maybe they’re like Wenders’ angels, who watched over Berlin. Maybe they’re us.
“The title of the film may be a reference to a scene in which a couple are discussing the first law of thermodynamics: everything is energy, including us, and energy can’t be destroyed. It’s endless, and can only change, transforming into something new. 4.5 cats”
Brett responds to Bob: “Great review. I did not tackle a review of the film when I first saw it. Very ethereal in a sense so it was hard to put into words what all was going on and translate it to those who hadn’t yet seen it.
“I enjoy the discussion about the title too. Part of it could also pivot from an existential moment with the priest, which stylistically permeates some of the other mixes of lightly surreal and deadpan moments throughout. But there are also “endless” themes in some of the other scenes (waiting, persistence, scientific cycles, and even the mundane, for example), almost like a concept album that is touched upon in each track.
“Great job in tackling a super solid film.”
Diane says: “Sorry I am going to miss Sunday’s discussion of this film. Its aesthetic was right up my alley. Not only endlessness, but mostly joylessness! I saw the sadness that results from a lack of empathy or a fear of stepping out of place, exemplified by the unmoving camera. 4 cats.”
Michael says: “Roy Andersson’s latest, and possibly last (if we believe the 78-year-old director) film, ABOUT ENDLESSNESS continues in the style of his previous three films (SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR, YOU THE LIVING, A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE): brief vignettes showing scenes that range from grim to joyous. Not as dark as his immediately previous film (PIGEON), nor as cohesive as the first, (SECOND FLOOR), ABOUT ENDLESSNESS still has moments of unexpected beauty, or revelation. The vignettes show various states of the human condition, from a priest who has lost his faith (one of the few recurring characters throughout the film) to a group of girls who spontaneously break out into dance on the street in front of a sidewalk cafe.
“The film is surprisingly short (73 min.) given its title, and it’s difficult to discern the meaning of that title. There is one scene where two characters discuss the first law of thermodynamics, that states energy can be transformed from one form to another, but can be neither created nor destroyed, and is therefore, endless. Not sure how that ties into the larger story, but there is an ongoing feel to the plight of these characters, with their muted displays of emotion.
“While I appreciated ABOUT ENDLESSNESS and found some humor and beauty throughout, I was a little disappointed. It felt like more of the same from Andersson, with little variation. Stylistically, with its static cameras, droll or horrific vignettes and and muted palette, it didn’t really do anything different. I would have liked to see the director try something different, especially if unlike the title of his film, his career will be ending on this note. 3 cats”
Chris says: “Textbook Andersson, except for the occasional female narration which seems superfluous more often than not. The static camera, angled compositions and deadpan demeanor will likely never feel rote or tossed-off in this director’s hands, but the hit-or-miss ratio is on par with his last feature, which is to say, well below the glorious SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR. 3.5 cats“