Review of Wild Strawberries (1957) by Stefano L — 07 Mar 2012

I wanted to like it, due to its optimism and attempt at portraying redemption. but alas, it just did not work for me, as a whole.

The ending is forced. The relationship between son/daughter in law, as well as him/childhood love are tangential and unfocused at best. The interesting relationship is between him & daughter in law, and even that is not given due focus. the daydreams seemed to have little relevance.

Emotionally hollow and rather boring, despite Bergman's best efforts. His metaphysical speculations condense the thoughts of a few philosophers rather than expanded upon them. Ultimately, it didn't live up to what it was trying to be.

One part that threw me off was the sort of flashback scene. It made no sense. In that he was seeing things he couldn't have known. I know, the pet response to this is that it is narrow to expect film to follow rigid guidelines such as reality. And that's fine for fantasy. But is this a fantasy? Or is art this exceptional beyond definition? which is to say, a cop out.

I suppose we were supposed to see his past life. But having him watch with us was not productive storytelling, to me. Eschewing any semblance of reality does not make something more artistic.

Again, another Bergman film features an irritating and predictable trend. Discussion of the existence of God, with the skeptic being portrayed as a devotee of rationalism. Bergman, believing that the bringing up of this topic, always ending with the same nihilist conclusions in all his films, make him deep. I wish somebody told him that it isn't the case. Tired Scandinavian trend.