By [Spoiler Alert][This is not a review]
It doesn’t matter how poor Africa is, how many people died in the latest natural disaster or how many elderly are abandoned throughout the year, there is just one simple when it is your problem it will always be the worst. Add to that the naivety and hormonal fluctuation of those teenage years and all of the sudden a weekend with no interesting parties, not having a boyfriend or a birthday party where no one shows up can feel like your life is doomed to be a tragic and dreadful existence full of shame. There is also another universal no matter where you live you will always aspire to go somewhere better… a better town, a better city, a better country.
Lukas Moodysson, however, does something so rare and unique that makes of Fucking Åmål a rare jewel. It successfully treats adolescency with such a depth and seriousness, with an astonishing accuracy, completely genuine (specially with the acting) while still portraying all the quirkiness and silliness of it.
[Spoiler Alert][This is not a review]
It doesn’t matter how poor Africa is, how many people died in the latest natural disaster or how many elderly are abandoned throughout the year, there is just one simple truth: when it is your problem it will always be the worst. Add to that the naivety and hormonal fluctuation of those teenage years and all of the sudden a weekend with no interesting parties, not having a boyfriend or a birthday party where no one shows up can feel like your life is doomed to be a tragic and dreadful existence full of shame. There is also another universal truth: no matter where you live you will always aspire to go somewhere better… a better town, a better city, a better country.
Lukas Moodysson, however, does something so rare and unique that makes of Fucking Åmål a rare jewel. It successfully treats adolescency with such a depth and seriousness, with an astonishing accuracy, completely genuine (specially with the acting) while still portraying all the quirkiness and silliness of it.
Agnes, a social retard unable to make friends except for a “better than nothing” relationship with a girl in a wheelchair that she considers childish and boring, spends her friday nights at home, reading or writing. Her parents, confusing figures of authority, roles inverted, the mother strict and vigilant, always pushing her to be socially adept; the father comprehensive, showing care and trying to lend a supportive ear at all times.
Unfortunately Agnes realizes that her mother simply does not accept her the way she is, her mother wants her to become a different person. She also realizes her father denies to himself the reality of her social incapability, and when trying to address it, he only provides hopeless advice as he relates to Agnes he was also socially inadequate, promising her things will get better in around 15 years. It certainly doesn’t help to her situation her full awareness of her homosexuality; if things were not lamentable enough, she is in love with Elin, one of the most popular girls in school, where even if Elin were a lesbian, a relationship with her would still be out of the question. Overwhelmed by the truth, Agnes finds comfort in cutting herself.
Elin, a person with big goals: becoming a model, have an Italian man as a boyfriend, but mainly, leaving the fucking boring town she was born in and go to a glamourous metropolis instead. Sadly, she is reminded constantly of her despairful truth, she is stuck in Amal, her mother does not let her go to raves, what is worse, raves are already “out” according to a magazine, yet they just have arrived to Åmål. Far from a handsome intriguing italian man, she has to deal with her immature schoolmates that act like stupids at all times. Unexcited by her life, she looks for the rush of a new boyfriend, alcohol and drugs, sadly, the only drugs she can find cause everything but hallucinations.
Jessica, Elin’s sister has a long-time relationship with a macho boy that gets in fights all the time, diminishes women and takes Jessica for granted. On Jessica’s admission, there is no real meaning or purpose behind the relationship. Elin herself gets involved with Johan, a pretty boy with little personality that lets himself be controlled by his girlfriend, his friend or whoever in the room that has just a tad more presence than him. Both boys exasperate Elin and since her mother finds it easy to live without a man, a husband, a father for her daughters, Elin thinks she just might do without them as well.
At the end, Elin realizes that it’s not about escaping Åmål, getting the best boyfriend or being at the best parties, but about having a special person to share those special moments with, the little moments, the ones that matter. After some time worrying about social perception and what the ones close to her would think, it is just too clear that Agnes is that person.