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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
Honestly, only if you are a massive history nerd or obsessed with how Swedish politics looked before the world turned upside down. If you want a tight, gripping thriller like The Black Book, you will be bored to tears within five minutes. This isn't a movie; it's a brochure that learned how to move.
The whole thing is built around this young couple getting their hands on a modern apartment. It’s supposed to be the dream, right? The furniture looks incredibly uncomfortable by today's standards. I kept staring at the chairs, wondering if anyone actually sat on them or if they were just for show.
The pacing is non-existent. It moves exactly as fast as a municipal committee meeting. There's this relentless, chirpy optimism that feels almost like a fever dream now. Everything is shiny and new because they really wanted you to vote a certain way in 1932. It’s almost charming in how desperate it is.
There’s a weird disconnect in the performances. Everyone acts like they’re shouting across a crowded town square, even when they’re standing in a kitchen. It’s loud. It’s stiff. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a film made to convince your grandfather to change his ballot.
It makes me think of Edgar Takes the Cake, where at least someone is doing something physical. Here, the characters mostly just point at walls and smile about light bulbs. Still, seeing the labor movement try to sell itself through cinema is a strange, fascinating trip. I didn't hate it, but I definitely didn't need to see it twice. 🇸🇪