FORCE MAJEURE/TURIST
Sweden, 2014, 118 minutes, Colour,.
Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Clara Wettergren, Vincent Wettergren, Jakob Granqvist, Kristofer Hivju.
Directed by Ruben Ostlund.
Many of us with a smattering of romance languages might draw the quick conclusion that the title of the film means a major force, something that the trailer would seem to indicate with its scenes of an avalanche. Not at all.
The main clarification, which needs some Googling for most of us, indicates a technical meaning, a legal meaning, and a focus on responsibilities in a contract, like marriage. With this in mind, we look at a happy Swedish family who are on holidays in the Swiss Alps. It all seems very nice, no need for any worrying about force majeure. The action takes place over five days. In the early days of the holiday everyone is full of family love, affirmation of the children, going skiing, having a break from work and ordinary life…
Then comes the avalanche, not as terrifying as it looked in the trailer, rather, a different kind of avalanche but with dire consequences.
The family is at lunch with many people at the outdoor tables when the avalanche occurs – but it is a controlled avalanche, the authorities concerned about the massing of snow and having various mechanisms around the snowfields to monitor what is happening. But, as the snow advances on those who are lunching, it seems more ominous and people get to their feet, looking and wondering at what is happening; some even run away.
And that is the problem with the family. The mother stands her ground, thinking about her children. The husband, alarmed, moves away from the table. And that is his fatal move, it is the force majeure occasion in the marriage relationship. At various times, especially with groups of visitors, the husband tries to explain himself away, talk about photos, thinking about the family. His wife is in no way convinced and his behaviour and her reflection on it gnaw away at her attitude towards her husband, questioning her love for him.
This means that the film is a Swedish drama, looking intensely at characters, their external behaviour, their interior lives. The screenplay gives quite some opportunity for discussions, especially with an old friend and his very young companion, having a meal with a couple, wondering what they would do in similar circumstances.
The wife begins to keep to herself, alarming the husband, who finds himself locked out of their unit in the chalet. Realistic breaches between the couple are presented as well as symbolic, and, not giving anything away, the final scene where passengers are anxious about a bus on the mountain curves which cannot get round and people feel in danger, means an alarm for the wife and an opportunity for the husband to step forward and help.
And the question remains whether the couple will be able to regain their love in view of what has happened, whether the wife will be less severe in her demands of her husband, whether the husband will be honest in admitting what happened. When they return to Sweden, what will be the status of their marriage and how will they relate to the children?
This is a film for those who like intense Swedish dramas, and audiences who like exploration of characters in crises. The Swiss mountain scenery, of course, is very beautiful.
1. The title? Its technical meaning? Legal? Responsibilities in a contract (like marriage)?
2. A Swedish story, French settings?
3. The beautiful scenery, atmosphere? The mountains, the sky, the scheme, the lifts, the hotel on the mountains? The interiors? The room, the restaurant? The explosions? The avalanche? The musical score?
4. A holiday, the five days, audience expectations? Development of characters?
5. The members of the family, Tomas, his work, needing a holiday? Ebba and her support? Harry and Vera, actual brother and sister? The photographer, the beauty of the photos, the united family?
6. The relationships, the breakdown, crisis, handling the situations, possibilities for resolution, the meltdown, Tomas weeping, rebuilding?
7. Images illustrating the emotions? Light and happiness, the avalanche and calendars, the aftermath, hugging, the fog, screaming and weeping, skiing in the fog, trust, Ebba and her being lost, found, carried to safety? The dangers, handling them? The awkwardness on the mountain road, the bus? Tomas and his leading the group, striding out in front?
8. Happy days, skiing, the meal?
9. The experience of the avalanche, the belief that all was under control, snow coming towards the restaurant, people’s behaviour, Ebba and her holding the children, Tomas and his camera, running away? It not being an avalanche, only avalanche fog? Resuming things, the meal, normally?
10. The evening meal, the tourists, the flirtation between the man and the woman, Ebba bringing up the situation of Tomas running away, his continued denials? Her exasperation? In the room afterwards? The discussions, the cleaner and his watching? Their wanting privacy?
11. Mats, his girlfriend, on the bus, she 20, he 40? Sharing, at the meal, the response to Ebba and her story, Tomas and his denials, saying they were different perspectives, going to the bedroom with the children? Ebba wanting him to show the film on his camera? Mats, trying to help, the girl feeling awkward?
12. Mats and the girl, the argument at the lift, back in the room, his not being able to sleep, speculations about how they would handle situations? Worry? Coming down?
13. Ebba, wanting the day by herself, skiing, the effect?
14. Tomas locked out, waiting at the door, searching, phoning? His collapse? His weeping, his confession about his behaviour, seeing himself as pathetic? The cleaner letting them into the room? The children in the room, weeping, worrying about a divorce? Harry’s questions and special concern?
15. The bedroom, the children, Harry and his age, his worry about his parents, not being able to connect on the Internet? The going inside so that the parents could talk outside, Vera and her extreme petulance?
16. The many domestic sequences, in the bathroom, everybody cleaning their teeth?
17. Going skiing in the fog, trust, about being lost, Tomas leaving the children, going back for his wife, carrying her down? The rescue and his manliness again?
18. On the bus, the bad driver, Ebba and fear, the dangers, demanding to be let off, everybody getting off, the puzzle, walking down the mountain, Tomas taking the front, Mats carrying Vera, Ebba and Harry, the cigarette, striding out in leadership?
