VI/ US
Sweden, 2013, 92 minutes, Colour.
Gustav Skarsgaard, Anna Astrom, Rebecca Ferguson.
Directed by Mani Maserrat Agah.
VI/ US is something of a difficult watch.
The title is accurate in so far as this is a story of two people and the development of the relationship, the deterioration of the relationship, its collapse.
The central focus is on a young woman coming to a school, inexperienced in teaching, finding it difficult to teach and, especially, to control her classroom. There is an especially defiant boy who flirts with other students and continually mocks the young woman. She can’t control her class.
The other focus is on an older teacher, in his 30s, very serious-minded, who is immediately attracted to the young woman. They meet, talk, go out, enjoy each other’s company. They fall in love, become engaged, marry. At first all seems well, meeting of minds and love, sexual compatibility. However, in many ways she is immature, very dependent on her husband. But she also has a very strong minded friend at school, discussing the issues with her, possibilities of change. (She is played by Rebecca Ferguson who became an international star in the Mission Impossible series and such films as Florence Foster Jenkins and The Greatest Showman.).
What emerges is the conscious and unconscious exploiting of the young woman’s fragility by her increasingly controlling husband. He humiliates his wife, then apologises, but the cycle continues, even to his acceding to her poor understanding of love and subservience. But it frees her.
It is very strong film about women and their relationship with men, love and subservience. It is a very strong film about men, single-mindedness and the move to absolute control.
1. The title? Relationships?
2. The Swedish setting, the town, the school, apartments? The musical score?
3. The focus on love? Encounter, infatuation and friendship, love, engagement, marriage, the aftermath? As experienced by Krister? By Ida? Difficulties? Antagonism and hostility? Control? Possibilities for reconciliation or not?
4. The school, students, the staff, Ida’s arrival, young, new member of the staff? Krister, with the staff, looking at Ida? The initial attraction? The school children, in the classroom, Ida and her trouble, the critical young student, defying her, flirting? Her inability to handle the discipline? Krister coming to her help? The discussions on the issue between Krister and Ida? The increasing tensions? Her correcting papers at home? Her wanting to learn more about discipline? Her confrontation with the boy and his offhand and cheeky responses?
5. Ida as a character, young, easily influenced, home, her family background? Responding to Krister, talking, getting closer, the outings, proposal, her life at home? Ida and her sexual experiences? Sensual? Wanting to please Krister? Finding it increasingly difficult?
6. Krister, his age, the attraction, his work at the school, serious-minded, the exhilaration with Ida, love, marriage? At home, the sexual encounters? His growing control? Demanding on Ida? His response to her lies and not revealing the truth to him? The role of his mother, domination, the phone calls? His continued apologies, attempts at reconciliation?
7. Ida, her friendship with Linda, Linda as a strong personality, her relationships, casual, seeing through Krister, the fierce confrontation between them and their talk? Her wanting to go to another school, trying to persuade Ida? Ida’s refusal? Krister and his scoffing at the idea? Krister catching Ida with Linda and misinterpreting?
8. The effect on Ida, not knowing what to do, her weakness, subservience, Krister and his growing domination? His criticisms? Her concealing things, outings with Linda, his accusing her of lying?
9. Krister and his attack, then apologies, then change, the bewildering effect on Ida? Wanting love, wanting a child, the issue of pregnancy, his reaction? Her final submission, thinking that he would be happy urinating on her, her humiliation, acceding and the consequences?
10. Her finally walking out, to independence? What was Krister left with? And his future? Ida and a more hopeful future?
