Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

Don't listen to the negative reviews

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

I really enjoyed this film , unexpectedly so . I liked the background of Stockholm ? Which I don't see many films set in Sweden , dragon tattoo millennium series was another , Sweden certainly has a different feel to other countries on celluloid. I couldn't work out how the sexy but vacuous blonde was going to collide with the very down on his luck , gentle older man , trying to maintain his dignity and humility in this world that increasingly rejects him and his worth ...I thought the overwhelming message was the harsh reality of ageing , staring at the abyss of old age with no support base or even friendship . The brief friendship between the blonde Eva and Bernhard I found quite touching , even though it was always destined to be short lived .The bus scene waving a final goodbye was very emotional and sad . This film while strange in its construction says so much about things we don't like to consider , but yet there remains some hope and dignity , even when the future is bleak .The score was not bad either . I really liked the acting of the two protagonists who hit their mark perfectly . Sad no one much will see this film .' But it was quite a cultural experience for an Australian like me

This Movie, really got me for a while. Its interesting turns kept me expecting the unexpected, for real. Loved the transitional music and the backgrounds. When it came to the end,It really moved me to think WHY...WHY?? Finally I got the whole picture. Life and Movies are not always as we dream it to be. For better or worse WE need to get how to let go. What could be frightening right now, tomorrow will be just a memory we grew stronger from. Perfect for those who don't get the'picture'of Sewdish films, they still wont get it this time either... This is an enjoyable opportunity to reach Scandinavian film makers points of view.

Lift them up high, lest we miss it when they fall. The plot is pure Aristoteles, sympathy and terror brought to you in a modern-looking, yet inherently classic tale so simple and loaded it almost qualifies as a parable. "Darling" tells the story of rich girl going down. Essentially, it's Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" re-arranged as a movie by acclaimed writer-director Johan Kling. Trying to settle in, Eva (Michelle Meadows) becomes unlikely allies with Bernard (Michael Segerström), a retired divorcée. The lonely girl kindles new hope in the old man, but it doesn't last. Just as Eva starts building a modest life of her own, she is yanked back by another passing stranger: back downtown from the suburbs, back into the jet-set from the working class, out of the bus and into a car. Bernard stays behind as Eva slides out of view in her new boyfriend's shiny SUV. Well-scripted, superbly acted and attractively photographed in a syncopated mix of wide-angle and extreme close-up shots. Includes priceless vintage footage of Jerry Williams dancing to his "Number One". Oh, and Michelle Meadows is really, really cute for a blonde. Pity Johan Kling explicitly told her not to smile on screen. Trust me, hers is a million dollar smile.

This is a nice little gem. Accustomed to the normal staple of Swedish film, meaning ham acting, high school morality and utter lack of anything resembling film magic, this was a surprise. Good, subdued acting, a twisting and turning storyline that keeps you unprepared for what's around the corner and a fresh and unsentimental approach to it's subjects makes this "a film for the person who doesn't like Swedish film" as one of my friends said after the film. Add to that some funny and intelligent dialogue with the occasional one-liner and you have a film that is truly enjoyable and lingers in your mind afterwards. During it's one and a half hour it grinds itself slowly into some true and important insights of contemporary life, as well as eternal truths (yeah, really). Could have been a bit longer though, because the end comes about a little abruptly,