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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. De utstötta remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies that move at the speed of a rusty gear, you might find something here. It’s for the folks who don’t mind a bit of misery with their social commentary. If you’re looking for a quick fix or a snappy plot, steer clear. This is a movie that really wants you to sit in the dirt with it.
The whole thing feels like a gray morning in a town where the whistle stopped blowing a long time ago. It isn't trying to be heroic. It’s just showing people moving, packing boxes, and looking out of windows.
There’s this one shot of a family just standing by their door, and it goes on long enough that I started wondering if I had accidentally paused the screen. It wasn’t a mistake, though. It was just heavy.
The acting isn't what you’d call 'showy.' It’s more like the actors were told to just exist in the space. Gerda Henschen-Nygren has this look in her eyes like she’s already halfway to the next town. She doesn't have to say much for you to get it.
I couldn't help but compare the general gloom here to something like Westfront 1918. Not that they’re the same story, but they share that same cold, damp feeling of people caught in a machine that doesn't care if they survive or not. It’s a bit more personal than the big war stuff, though.
It gets a little repetitive, sure. You see the same faces looking worried about the same lack of jobs for a long stretch. Maybe it could have been tighter, but maybe the point was to make you feel as tired as they are. I’m still not sure.
It’s not perfect. Sometimes the pacing feels like it’s stuck in mud. But there’s a grit to it that you don't find in most modern dramas. It doesn't ask for your sympathy. It just lays out the mess and waits for you to see it.
Watch it if you’re in a mood to reflect on things that don’t work out. Just don’t expect a happy ending. 🌫️