Scandinavians in London: New Films From Those 'Royal Affair' Lovers
Friday, October 24, 2014 at 8:01AM A couple more reports from London and Chicago festivals heading your way. Here's David on three new films starring either Alicia Vikander or Mads Mikkelsen, who formerly sizzled together in Denmark's recent Oscar nominee "A Royal Affair" - Editor
Alicia Vikander
That Testament of Youth was made the Centrepiece Gala at the festival seems, sight unseen, predictable: supported by the Mayor of London, the Gala slot is one of the few that really demonstrates the festival's support of homegrown cinema, and the story told here is as British as you can get. 2014 marks the centenary of World War I, and with it comes this adaptation of Vera Brittain's iconic memoir. James Kent's film keeps his focus to the period of the war itself, beginning at its end; Vera (Alicia Vikander) looks oddly distraught amidst the celebrating crowds packing London's streets. Testament of Youth is a compassionate reminder of the emotional and physical toll of war on a whole nation - which is what Brittain's memoir proved too, in 1933, not long before the second, more devastating war hit.
Kit Harington and VikanderWhile the film is impeccably upholstered, with Consolata Boyle's costumes and Robert Hardy's photography particularly impeccable, it's the character work that makes Testament of Youth such an involving experience, especially through the veil of a 'period' film. Vikander is quite simply luminous, but the camera is drawn as much to the stubborn, robust manner she gives Brittain as much as it is the softer romanticism of the character's winsome independence. The film is decorated with familiar faces giving sturdy turns along the way: Miranda Richardson, Dominic West, Emily Watson and Hayley Atwell all have their striking moments.
But it's the youth, fittingly, who shine brightest. Games of Thrones' Kit Harington and fellow Brits Colin Morgan and Taron Eagerton, as Brittain's fiance, friend and brother, also give performances of an immediacy that belies the distant setting, throwing the audience into the youthful flush of the war, in all its patriotic allure and horrifying spectre. While the film lives away from combat, the emotional pull of Brittain's fiercely committed experience provides more than enough testament to the tragedy of the war and the heroism of those who lived and died through it.
Mads Mikkelsen in 'The Salvation'
Mads Mikkelsen is an unexpected choice for the lead in a Western, perhaps, but after about five seconds of The Salvation, it seems completely logical: his restrained, stoic masculinity is like Gary Cooper reanimated. His ill-fitting nationality is built into the plot; Mikkelsen's Jon is an ex-soldier who travelled with his brother seven years ago to the promised lands of the USA. We join him as his wife and young son finally arrive on the continent, but their happy reunion doesn't last long; two drunken, gun-toting men hop into their stagecoach and before long the Danish newcomers are dead. Jon shoots the perpetrators on sight, but that means his problems are only just beginning; one of the men was the brother of Delarue (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a fearsome figure who holds the entire town under the barrel of his gun, and his brother's beautiful, mute widow (Eva Green) at his side. Delarue wants revenge for his brother's murder, but Jon isn't going to give in so easily.
The Salvation is basted in Western cliches, but it carries them off well, particularly with a menacing undercurrent about the breakdown of Western society as they know it gradually seeping into the narrative. Delarue is merely the villainous face of a corporation, and no one can fight what they're perpetrating. Which gives the film a dour sense of doom; none of the characters, not even those who survive the climactic shoot out, are headed for days of glory. There's an embedded sense of nihilism, one familiar not only from the revisionist Westerns of the past fifty years but of the recent trend for vengeance narratives, men avenging the abuse of their women. It's not as if women ever get the best deal in this genre, but cutting out Eva Green's tongue seems almost lascivious. She, though, takes it as a challenge, blasting her otherworldly charisma through her steely eyes and sharp facial features, the underserved mistress of this narrative. Mikkelsen's sullen presence can barely compete.
Brenton Thwaites and Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor, too, is an ex-pat in Aussie crime thriller Son of a Gun (cue Carly Simon), although perhaps he just couldn't manage the accent. JR (Brenton Thwaites) has earned himself a short stint in prison, but no matter the sentence, he's set for life: rescued from the clutches of the prison's burly sexual predator by McGregor's Brendan, JR's repayment is some work on the outside. Specifically, hijacking a helicopter and airlifting Brendan and two comrades out of the joint. Brendan's boss Sam (Jacek Koman) has one last job before they can all vamoose: a heist from a gold mine plant.
Alicia Vikander againIt's not a generic crime thriller without a good deal of double crossing, so naturally, no one's going to get away with the gold they expect. Loyalties haven't even been made between JR and Brendan, especially not with the beautiful accoutrement of Tasha (Alicia Vikander) hanging around getting JR's loins burning. The main problem, beyond the moral quagmire never really being very clear, is that the film motors on so quickly that the audience is given very little chance to feel beyond the surface of cliches. If there are reasons to bother, they're McGregor, whose unique charisma still seems an oddity in the mainstream, and Vikander, pulling off yet another accent and using her star power to the best she can in a role that, as written, doesn't give her much direction. The film itself quickly capitulates ideas about the entrapment into criminality for twists and turns that are so hand-me-down, your father would have yawned.
All films screened as part of the 58th BFI London Film Festival.
Reader Comments (5)
Dave--thanks for this news. I totally buy Mads in a Western, though his screen persona and apparent intellect is more akin to early Clint Eastwood. Never been a big fan of Gary Cooper.
Love Alicia Vikander (though I thought she was Danish), and looking forward to following her career. A Royal Affair was one of my favorite films last year.
Alicia Vikander is gonna have a massive breakout year next year. Count on it.
Mikkelsen, Green and Morgan together? When can I see this?
I loved Testament of Youth so much. Alicia is just glorious. I never thought much of Kit Harington as Jon Snow but he was so good in it. I can't wait for the film to come out so I can see it again.
Isn't it funny? I came across a makeup artist this summer at an event. We had an interesting conversation and it turned out he's worked with most of the big names out there. Once I realised that, my first question was "Who's a bitch?"
His response: Alicia Vikander.
In his defence I'll add that he's worked with the notoriously difficult Dame Maggie and he didn't describe her as being difficult at all.