Quickcard Review Everlasting Moments

Directed by: Jan Troell Cast: Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt, Jesper Christensen Running Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Rating: Unrated Release Date: May 1, 2009

Plot: A housewife in early 20th century Sweden endures a difficult marriage. She only finds peace through photography and her friendship with a local photographer.

Who’s It For? Fans of family melodramas, period dramas and foreign films. If you like all three, you're all set.

Expectations: Didn't know anything about this before I saw it.

OVERALL

Maria Larsson (Heiskanen) is married to Sigfrid, a coarse, former soldier prone to drink. When he goes on a bender, he gets violent. She refuses to leave him, despite her misery, instead turing to photography for solace. The title refers to her photos though they're more a subplot than anything else. That's pretty much it. The film starts off promisingly, a slice of life in Sweden 100 years ago. Unfortunately, it never really progresses beyond that. Things happen but the plot just doesn't move. Heiskanen reveals much of what Maria feels on her face. She does an excellent job portraying Maria, though at times she's a frustrating character. I have a hard time empathizing with a woman who stays with an abusive husband.

The quality of the film grain is very interesting. It's a slightly washed out look reminiscent of 70s films like Days of Heaven or Badlands. I guess you could call it the Terrance Malick effect. When I saw the opening credits role, I initially though it was an older film being re-released. Pretty cool.

Though well-crafted, the story ultimately stalls and I was left wondering what would have happened if this film had gone anywhere.

Final Score: 5/10