EN SOAP (A SOAP)
Denmark, 2005, 102 minutes, Colour.
Trine Dyrholm, David Dencik.
Directed by Pernille Fischer Christensen.
Soaps on TV are not like life. They are life heightened (or lowered depending on one’s point of view). We get some spoof sequences of TV soaps during this film. Perhaps, the director is saying that life is like a soap. However, in Denmark, life is much more serious than a soap even when, on paper, it might sound like one.
Almost confined to two apartments (with a now and again glimpse of blossoms outside the building), the film is not as claustrophobic as this might seem. That is because the two characters are strongly drawn, experience strange events and have to deal with their emotions.
One is the owner of a beauty parlour, Charlotte, who is, as they say, unlucky in love – very unlucky in fact, attracted to macho, brutal types. The other is the man downstairs whom she asks to help her out with a furniture shifting problem. The bigger problem is that he is a transsexual, Veronica, very lonely, acting sometimes as a prostitute, disowned by his father and visited in secret by his fussing mother.
The bonds of friendship grow between these two outsiders. When Veronica goes into suicidal depression, it is Charlotte who cares for her.
Brief, both comic and dour, but a sympathetic glimpse of people on the margin.
1.The title? The use of American soap operas in the background for Charlotte and Veronica watching? The kind of dialogue, situations, relationships? This film as a soap – or more serious? Especially in comparison with the soaps in the background?
2.A Danish film, a Danish attitude towards life, morals, sexuality – and transsexuals? Relationships, love, promiscuity, commitment?
3.The film remaining in two flats, the details of Charlotte’s flat, Veronica’s flat? The only outside scenes being the continual outside look at blossoms? The musical score?
4.The parallel stories of Charlotte and Veronica? The initial antagonism? The changes, each saving the other’s life? The friendship, the impossibility of love, help and dependence? A future for each? Alone and self-assertive?
5.Charlotte’s story: her age, seeing her with her beauty products, the voice-over narrative introducing the scenes? Charlotte and her breaking up with Kristian? Moving into the flat, ringing him to move the bed, his coming, his bewilderment? Her inviting him to be violent – and his later doing so? Settling in, quiet, alone? Asking Veronica to help? Veronica’s help, antagonism, refusal of a gift? Charlotte and her work, going down to see Veronica, the gradual friendship, discussions, the gift of the make-up? Hearing the dog, going down and finding Veronica with the overdose, ringing Kristian for advice, going to hospital? Going down, minding the dog, the mistake with the letter under the chair? The return, Veronica’s gratitude, her helping her? Advice, friendship, secret games, sexuality, infatuation? Her inviting Kristian over? Making up with him, getting Kristian to dance? The sexual encounter, the next morning, the possibility of moving back home? The apology to Veronica? The meeting between the two, the news about the letter, her telling Kristian she would not be returning? The secret for Veronica? Her being by herself – more self-assertive? The background of her relationships, her age, the men she brought home, their attitudes, friendly, callous, married, her rejection of them? Could she commit?
6.Veronica’s story: Ulrik and his relationship with his mother, his father ignoring him, refusing to let his mother visit? Her love for her son, acceptance of his lifestyle, bringing him food? His strong statement about getting her to tell his father the truth or else she couldn’t come? His transvestite lifestyle, Miss Daisy? His clients and their gross behaviour? Helping Charlotte, his resentment? His despair, taking the overdose? His gratitude to Charlotte for helping him live? His friendship, the discussions, making her curtains? The secrets? The possibility of a relationship? His anger with Kristian and punching him? Kristian’s later apology? The news about the operation, his telling his mother, telling Charlotte, their discussions about the reality of what would happen? A future for him?
7.Kristian, the shock of Charlotte’s leaving him, his being a doctor? His arguing with her, his giving advice about the overdose? Her bringing him back, his violence against her, her making him dance, the sexual encounter, the possibility of reuniting? Charlotte abandoning him?
8.Veronica’s mother, her love for her son, bringing him gifts, the short visits, the talk, the gift for his father, her anxiety about his father? The talk with Charlotte, persuading her to look after her son?
9.The soap-opera style – but more serious in the Scandinavian way? The voice-over with the introduction of each chapter, the summary of what happened to the characters, the black and white photography?
