The film 101 Reykjavik produced and directed by award-winning Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur is a dark cerebral comedy that proves to be a strong first feature length film for Kormákur. Based on the book by painter, novelist, translator, and writer Hallgrímur Helgason, 101 Reykjavik is titled after a section of the downtown of Iceland's largest city and capital which is populated by people whom the protagonist would no doubt describe as idiots. From that setting sprouts a facetious and twisted tale of transfiguration, lust, and profundity, that contorts notions of familial relations and seeks to both entertain viewers and incite thought.
The films self-centred and listless protagonist Hlynur, a roughly 30 year old unemployed loser with a penchant for porn, proves to be both a comedian and a philosopher. Dedicated to his self-proclaimed profession of being unemployable and unwanted wreck, the nihilistic Hlynur revels in his insignificance; wishing nothing on himself except porn, booze, and a swift death. Hlynur shirks all responsibility and leaves his mother's tiny apartment almost exclusively to get drunk with his two acquaintances or harass civil servants. When pushed to describe what it is that he does, Hlynur responds by saying he does "the nothing kind of nothing." A perfect descriptor for his life thus far.
That all begins to change when he is introduced to the vivacious-flamenco instructor-girlfriend of his mother: Lola. Lola plays the parent and tries to coax a person out of the reclusive Hlynur but he has other ideas in mind. Despite Hófi throwing herself at Hlynur, he rejects her entirely while spending time with Lola during his mother's vacation. His efforts culminate in an alcohol fuelled night of drunken passion the final night before his mothers return. What follows for Hlynur is a whirlwind of confessions, self-pity, and unprecedented growth that is riddled with comically dark humour and philosophical commentary.
The apartment feels much smaller to Hlynur as he is slapped in the face by the reality of his situation. The thin walls of the apartment bring his frustration with himself to a boil and in a fit of childish rage he repeatedly seeks to find solace in alcohol only to be berated by the idiots in the bar. However, as Hlynur grows as a person he also begins to come to terms with his mother's love for Lola. With changing times and rising tensions in his home-life Hlynur is roused from his hibernation-esque lifestyle and pushed to not only make something of himself but also of his now-topsy-turvy family. How he comes to terms with his "mamma's-boy" role changing in the congealing familial unit is a core point of growth and a central theme in the film.
Seekers of intellectual stimulation fear not, the philosopher inside Hlynur is awash with notes of existential and moral nihilism. With comments like "Family dinner or a funeral... I'd rather go to a funeral, at least there's one less idiot" and "The worst thing about AIDS as a method of suicide is that it takes so long to die from it" Hlynur cements himself as someone who places no value in both his life and the lives of even his closest family. His philosophical outlook undergoes a parallel morphology to that of his tumultuous private and social lives.
The pace of the camera work contributes a deceptively monotonous plodding feeling to the film which occurs over what appears to be several weeks if not months. The abstraction of perception of time contributes to the film by implying that by and large nothing important happens in the everyday lives of the characters and that they live a relatively empty existence. Furthermore, for a large portion of the film the setting of Christmastime in Reykjavik lends a chill and vacant appearance that serves as an ample metaphor for the utter lack of activity in Hlydnurs life. In the words of Hlydnur "There are no insects, no trees, no nothing... The only reason why people live here is because they were born here." Which makes ever more apparent the state of his existence.
Despite its meandering pace and, at points, glaringly obvious metaphors 101 Reykjavik has a twisted and unpredictable plot that surprises with each turn. The comedy, like great chocolate, is dark and you most certainly have to be in the mood for it. As comic Erma Bombeck said "There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humour and hurt" and 101 Reykjavik walks that line with dexterity. That said, it is nigh-impossible to watch and not chuckle in the least. Needless to say 101 Reykjavik is an excellent first showing for Kormákur.
The films self-centred and listless protagonist Hlynur, a roughly 30 year old unemployed loser with a penchant for porn, proves to be both a comedian and a philosopher. Dedicated to his self-proclaimed profession of being unemployable and unwanted wreck, the nihilistic Hlynur revels in his insignificance; wishing nothing on himself except porn, booze, and a swift death. Hlynur shirks all responsibility and leaves his mother's tiny apartment almost exclusively to get drunk with his two acquaintances or harass civil servants. When pushed to describe what it is that he does, Hlynur responds by saying he does "the nothing kind of nothing." A perfect descriptor for his life thus far.
That all begins to change when he is introduced to the vivacious-flamenco instructor-girlfriend of his mother: Lola. Lola plays the parent and tries to coax a person out of the reclusive Hlynur but he has other ideas in mind. Despite Hófi throwing herself at Hlynur, he rejects her entirely while spending time with Lola during his mother's vacation. His efforts culminate in an alcohol fuelled night of drunken passion the final night before his mothers return. What follows for Hlynur is a whirlwind of confessions, self-pity, and unprecedented growth that is riddled with comically dark humour and philosophical commentary.
The apartment feels much smaller to Hlynur as he is slapped in the face by the reality of his situation. The thin walls of the apartment bring his frustration with himself to a boil and in a fit of childish rage he repeatedly seeks to find solace in alcohol only to be berated by the idiots in the bar. However, as Hlynur grows as a person he also begins to come to terms with his mother's love for Lola. With changing times and rising tensions in his home-life Hlynur is roused from his hibernation-esque lifestyle and pushed to not only make something of himself but also of his now-topsy-turvy family. How he comes to terms with his "mamma's-boy" role changing in the congealing familial unit is a core point of growth and a central theme in the film.
Seekers of intellectual stimulation fear not, the philosopher inside Hlynur is awash with notes of existential and moral nihilism. With comments like "Family dinner or a funeral... I'd rather go to a funeral, at least there's one less idiot" and "The worst thing about AIDS as a method of suicide is that it takes so long to die from it" Hlynur cements himself as someone who places no value in both his life and the lives of even his closest family. His philosophical outlook undergoes a parallel morphology to that of his tumultuous private and social lives.
The pace of the camera work contributes a deceptively monotonous plodding feeling to the film which occurs over what appears to be several weeks if not months. The abstraction of perception of time contributes to the film by implying that by and large nothing important happens in the everyday lives of the characters and that they live a relatively empty existence. Furthermore, for a large portion of the film the setting of Christmastime in Reykjavik lends a chill and vacant appearance that serves as an ample metaphor for the utter lack of activity in Hlydnurs life. In the words of Hlydnur "There are no insects, no trees, no nothing... The only reason why people live here is because they were born here." Which makes ever more apparent the state of his existence.
Despite its meandering pace and, at points, glaringly obvious metaphors 101 Reykjavik has a twisted and unpredictable plot that surprises with each turn. The comedy, like great chocolate, is dark and you most certainly have to be in the mood for it. As comic Erma Bombeck said "There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humour and hurt" and 101 Reykjavik walks that line with dexterity. That said, it is nigh-impossible to watch and not chuckle in the least. Needless to say 101 Reykjavik is an excellent first showing for Kormákur.