Review of The Square (2017) by Jenna I — 06 Feb 2018

Hmm, this felt like it couldn't tell if it was a satire or a character study, mixed with an incredibly esoteric inside joke. Which isn't to say I didn't enjoy it, it kinda felt like a lost smug comedy of Michael Haneke (which is only disappointing in the sense that Force Majeure felt so much more uniquely Östlund).

It seems to me the main point of the movie is just the irony of seeing an art installation like The Square - "The Square is a sanctuary of trust and caring. Within it we all share equal rights and obligations " - and thinking about all of the bureaucracy that you know had to happen in order for something like that to be installed in such a prestigious space. The countless stuffy rich people who had to donate money for the art to be purchased and installed, the lesser rich people who curate the museum but are completely beholden to an impossible standard of walk-the-line high-art intrigue and fun-sized general public consumption, the marketing bros who are hired to promote this concept so everybody can make a profit, the art critics who are more interested in the scene than the art, and down to the general public who looks at the project overly literally and scoffs "I could do that.".

But the movie strays between its art-scene satire to a more general shaming message of the out-of-touch divide between the modern successful man and the less fortunate who don't (or can't) fit the mold. Christian (expertly played by Claes Bang) isn't necessarily a bad guy, though he sure as hell is a selfish one - but personally I'm on the fence as to how worthy that concept is for an entire two-hour-plus film... people are selfish in general, it feels like a bit of a pot-shot pointing the finger of blame at Christian, who's largely just 'guilty' of being successful and insulated in a monied world. It's a stronger message when the movie doesn't try and focus more on the one man - Re: the hilarious, ironic and wildly uncomfortable dinner scene.

I think The Square could have been a hilarious satire of the art world system if it had been directed by somebody like Armando Iannucci or even Christopher Guest. They always do a great job of highlighting the structure while still populating it with well-rounded and empathetic individuals. As we have it from Östlund, it's just too unfocused to hit all of its marks... but it's still worth it for some key scenes. Arguing about are-we-dating next to an art installation of loud falling chairs is a stand out, for one.