Welcome to the Island of Flatey, inhabited by less than what appears to be a dozen people, where tensions are high and there is no escaping one's past. White Night Wedding, by Baltasar Kormákur, is comprised of two stories that become seemingly more parallel throughout the entirety of the film. We begin our journey with Jón (Hilmir Snær Guðnason), a middle-aged professor who leaves his post as a professor of literature at the University of Reykjavik to move to the desolate island where his fragile wife hails from. Anna (Margrét Vilhjálmsdóttir), his wife, is presented with mental health issues. We experience their unhappy marriage through a series of flashbacks that eventually link Jón and Anna to Thora (Laufey Elíasdóttir), a former student of Jón, who despite being half his age, has become his new love interest.
Jón and Thora are to be married but disadvantageous circumstances threaten the wedding and the couple's happiness, due to Jón's past as well as a fiscal dispute between the family of the bride and the family of the bridegroom. Jón faces immense disapproval by the local pastor and his future in-laws, from whom he borrowed large sums of money to fund an entrepreneurial venture that fails miserably leaving him with little hope of paying back his loan. Jón's past involves a mentally ill wife who he was never willing to listen to or help. He agreed to move back to her hometown, but resents her for this and pays little attention to her. Eventually, Jón begins to kindle a relationship with Thora, who coincidentally happens to be from the same small town as Anna, culminating in a sexual affair.
Kormákur's film presents several themes that all seem to lead to one question; What is the meaning of life and happiness? Each of the characters feel a strong sense of longing for something or someone that is unattainable to them in their current situation. For example, Thora's father aspired to be an opera singer but is woefully stuck married to a bitter woman obsessed with the financial bottom line of every situation. Anna longs for the companionship of a faithful partner, while peripheral characters such as the priest and Thora's sister aspire to be accepted and respected despite their quirky and often awkward nature.
Jón runs from his problems with Anna, and the foundation of his new relationship with Thora can be described as shaky at best. Viewers can sympathize with Anna who is trying in every way possible to connect with her husband, including literally throwing herself at him in a playful manner, but he never indulges her in attention. It is harder if not impossible to connect man who is so narcissistic and unwilling to engage in conversation with his wife and pay attention to what is really happening in his life. The over dramatized ceremony at the end of the film and events that follow may lead one to believe that humans are forever stuck in a never-ending cycle of disappointment devoid of quality interpersonal communication.
White Night Wedding features sweeping landscapes of the picturesque island during late summer or early fall. A stark contrast from the few city shots that are presented in the beginning, the setting of the island creates the premise for the city vs. rural life that appears in the film. The story spans only over the course of a day, but the sense of time is elongated by the numerous flashbacks that create the storyline between Jón and Anna, as well as setting the stage for Jón's wedding to Thora. While it was sometimes hard at first to distinguish between the past and the present, the use of flashbacks was particularly effective in conveying the events that lead to the dysfunctional and chaotic wedding that is to come.
The dialogue, while sometimes cringe-worthy, is also witty in nature. Background noises such as chirping birds, rolling waves, and moving vehicles created a natural and realistic environment. This is especially true when paired with the wide landscape shots. The music in the film is mainly soothing, and somewhat experimental, instrumental music. There are also a few folk and jazz influenced pieces that add a lighthearted touch to the film. Close-up shots that allow viewers to get a good impression of the character's reactions to what is happening around them.
The film is often compared to the Russian play Ivanov by Anton Chekhov. With an almost identical plot line, except for a few details as well as change in geographical location, the two bodies of work seem quite similar. White Night Wedding is also comparable to many of Kormákur's other films as it features characters struggling internally with feelings such as guilt, and a loss of purpose in life. According to an Icelandic cinema publication, the film was by far the most popular Icelandic movie screened in 2008, judged by overall viewing numbers in theaters.
White Night Wedding is a successful film in its distinct characterization of certain elements of modern Icelandic film. The sweeping landscapes of the nearly uninhabited island exaggerates the theme of city life vs. rural existence, and we are entertained by the actions of atypical and quirky characters. I recommend this film because of its humorous confrontation of issues regarding happiness, companionship, and the will to live. These are deep issues that take on a dark tone, but are also paired with several comical characters and an outlandish series of unfortunate events in such a way that viewers are able to grapple with these existential questions without the gloom and doom that often accompany such topics.
Jón and Thora are to be married but disadvantageous circumstances threaten the wedding and the couple's happiness, due to Jón's past as well as a fiscal dispute between the family of the bride and the family of the bridegroom. Jón faces immense disapproval by the local pastor and his future in-laws, from whom he borrowed large sums of money to fund an entrepreneurial venture that fails miserably leaving him with little hope of paying back his loan. Jón's past involves a mentally ill wife who he was never willing to listen to or help. He agreed to move back to her hometown, but resents her for this and pays little attention to her. Eventually, Jón begins to kindle a relationship with Thora, who coincidentally happens to be from the same small town as Anna, culminating in a sexual affair.
Kormákur's film presents several themes that all seem to lead to one question; What is the meaning of life and happiness? Each of the characters feel a strong sense of longing for something or someone that is unattainable to them in their current situation. For example, Thora's father aspired to be an opera singer but is woefully stuck married to a bitter woman obsessed with the financial bottom line of every situation. Anna longs for the companionship of a faithful partner, while peripheral characters such as the priest and Thora's sister aspire to be accepted and respected despite their quirky and often awkward nature.
Jón runs from his problems with Anna, and the foundation of his new relationship with Thora can be described as shaky at best. Viewers can sympathize with Anna who is trying in every way possible to connect with her husband, including literally throwing herself at him in a playful manner, but he never indulges her in attention. It is harder if not impossible to connect man who is so narcissistic and unwilling to engage in conversation with his wife and pay attention to what is really happening in his life. The over dramatized ceremony at the end of the film and events that follow may lead one to believe that humans are forever stuck in a never-ending cycle of disappointment devoid of quality interpersonal communication.
White Night Wedding features sweeping landscapes of the picturesque island during late summer or early fall. A stark contrast from the few city shots that are presented in the beginning, the setting of the island creates the premise for the city vs. rural life that appears in the film. The story spans only over the course of a day, but the sense of time is elongated by the numerous flashbacks that create the storyline between Jón and Anna, as well as setting the stage for Jón's wedding to Thora. While it was sometimes hard at first to distinguish between the past and the present, the use of flashbacks was particularly effective in conveying the events that lead to the dysfunctional and chaotic wedding that is to come.
The dialogue, while sometimes cringe-worthy, is also witty in nature. Background noises such as chirping birds, rolling waves, and moving vehicles created a natural and realistic environment. This is especially true when paired with the wide landscape shots. The music in the film is mainly soothing, and somewhat experimental, instrumental music. There are also a few folk and jazz influenced pieces that add a lighthearted touch to the film. Close-up shots that allow viewers to get a good impression of the character's reactions to what is happening around them.
The film is often compared to the Russian play Ivanov by Anton Chekhov. With an almost identical plot line, except for a few details as well as change in geographical location, the two bodies of work seem quite similar. White Night Wedding is also comparable to many of Kormákur's other films as it features characters struggling internally with feelings such as guilt, and a loss of purpose in life. According to an Icelandic cinema publication, the film was by far the most popular Icelandic movie screened in 2008, judged by overall viewing numbers in theaters.
White Night Wedding is a successful film in its distinct characterization of certain elements of modern Icelandic film. The sweeping landscapes of the nearly uninhabited island exaggerates the theme of city life vs. rural existence, and we are entertained by the actions of atypical and quirky characters. I recommend this film because of its humorous confrontation of issues regarding happiness, companionship, and the will to live. These are deep issues that take on a dark tone, but are also paired with several comical characters and an outlandish series of unfortunate events in such a way that viewers are able to grapple with these existential questions without the gloom and doom that often accompany such topics.