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5.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Kära släkten remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, it depends on how much you like watching people talk in parlors while looking slightly stressed. If you love 1930s Swedish cinema and don't mind a story that feels like it’s constantly tripping over its own feet, give it a go. If you need a movie that actually goes somewhere, stay away. This is for the people who want to see Sigge Fürst act like a grump for ninety minutes.
The whole thing revolves around a Stockholm wholesaler trying to deal with his daughters' love lives. It is very much of its time. Everyone seems to be shouting their lines just in case the microphone was in the next room.
There is a scene involving a dinner table that lasts forever. I swear the plates were moving back and forth more than the actors were. Why are there so many forks? Nobody ever eats, they just hold them like tiny swords.
The comedic timing is… well, it’s a choice. Sometimes it hits, but mostly it feels like a group of people trying to remember where they put their car keys. I kept thinking about The Phantom Broadcast and how much tighter that felt, even when it was being silly.
The middle of the movie just sort of sags. It feels like the writers realized they had another thirty minutes to fill and decided to just have everyone walk in and out of doors. It’s not quite as charming as Dance, Girl, Dance, but it has a weird, frantic energy that I couldn't help but stare at.
You can tell when the director is trying to force a "funny" moment because the music suddenly goes all plinky-plonky. It’s almost painful. Just let the actors talk, guys! They’re already doing enough with their eyebrows.
If you're in the mood for a period piece that doesn't ask much of you, sure. Just don't expect it to change your life. It’s a bit like a stale cookie—mostly dry, but you’ll eat it anyway because it’s there on the table. 🍪
