Review of Force Majeure (2014) by Vincent S — 16 Mar 2015
"Force Majeure" approaches the same subject--modern mariage-- as "Gone Girl" but in a different way. There is no physical violence and no presence of the media; instead, there is tension leading to emotional outbursts and consumer electronics.
A nuclear family on a skiing vacation in the Alps has likely been falling apart for awhile, but when a controlled avalanche seems to becomes out-of-control and threaten an outdoor restaurant where the family is eating, the father grabs his iPhone and gloves and flees the area without his wife, son, or daughter. A few minutes later when it becomes clear the event was a false alarm, the father comes back and he and his wife pretend nothing has happened. His cowardly act, however, threatens to end their marriage once and for all.
The movie in its naturalistic setting quietly builds tension through constant depictions of the resort taking proactive steps to prevent uncontrolled avalanches and through increasingly awkward and excruciating conversations. This is also where much of the humor of the movie comes in. It is dark and often very, very funny, in a "let's laugh at the train wreck" sort of way that eventually implicates the audience, too.
The film, however, offers some hope to the family unit, despite the forces of nature that seem always to be bubbling under the surface. Like a poem with voltas, the movie takes unexpected turns, especially near the end of the film. The final scene is very strange and discordant with the rest of the film, but manages to leave the viewer with a sense of something other than cowardice and failed marriages.
The acting is great. I especially liked Lisa Loven Kongsli as Ebba, the wife who can't help but wonder why her husband abandoned his family in a moment of crisis. When their relationship reaches its breaking point, she is left with nothing but frustration.
The setting is used extremely well, and is often frightening. All that snow, all that sky, all that weather; it is a perfect setting for chaos.
This review of Force Majeure (2014) was written by Vincent S on 16 Mar 2015.
Force Majeure has generally received very positive reviews.
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