Review of All Things Fair (1995) by Ihra L — 03 Nov 2009

"All is fair in Love and War," and that is the essential learning experience for the adolescent Stig in this Swedish coming of age film. Set in 1943, Stig and his family have just moved from Stockholm to a smaller town called Malmo, and at the school he just enrolled in there is a new teacher for English, Viola. Stig is surrounded by the blossoming puberty of his peers, and he spends most of his time talking about sex during class. Overtime, Stig develops a crush on Viola, and when he makes a sexual advance, she gives in and they begin to have an affair. As this is happening, a lot happens in Stig's life, and everything is at the least a learning experience, for better or worse.

While the plot has some exciting moments, everyone surrounding Stig is a bit more interesting than himself, but we get a sense of how he grows into a more mature young man and that the passionate affair may not be all that life is about. Considering the consequences, he finds out that love can be just as harsh as the rest of the world. Viola begins to lose it a bit after Stig tries to break off the affair after hooking up with a girl his own age, but she retaliates, and you can bet the Stig regrets what he has done. Coming from a poor family and having an older brother volunteer to fight in the war, it all amounts to a desire to learn from his mistakes and expand his knowledge as well as develop more sincere relationships, and not end up like everyone else.

My favorite aspect of the film was probably the character of Kjell, a failing salesman, alcoholic and classical music aficionado who would rather be called Frank, because everyone likes Frank Sinatra. He also happens to be Viola's husband, and Stig manages to learn a bit from him about women's stockings, Mahler and inventing gin dispensing bird clocks, while getting it on with his wife in the meantime. I wish I could have found myself in a more valuable learning environment like that.

In the end, Stig takes all he has learned from his schooling, even literally.