Review of Wild Strawberries (2012) by Adrian B — 07 Jun 2011

Professor Borg (Victor Sjostrom) is a respected doctor who is about to receive an honorary degree at the age of 78. He lives with his somewhat cold housekeeper, who is four years younger, has love interest in him, and yet essentially takes care of him. The night that he receives his award, he has a bizarre dream that shows his corpse in a coffin, among other bizarre things. That day of being honoured, he drives along with his daughter-in-law, who is currently separated from her husband (his son), to his old house in the country. There, he re-collects his childhood memories, along with the possible love affair with girl he once knew many years before. He also starts to have strange dream sequences, including being renounced as a competent doctor.

This is an astonishing triumph for the master, Ingmar Bergman. The dream sequences are haunting and emotionally powerful and definitely something anyone, especially me, can relate to. Who doesn't have confusing dreams that screw around with our thoughts and frighten us severely when we wake up? In addition, there is overwhelming emotional power of his recollections of childhood and how he re-calls his younger siblings and his youthful parents. It is powerful, realistic film and definitely one of the greatest by the director.